Liquid crystal display device, method for driving the same, and electronic device including the same

ABSTRACT

The liquid crystal display device includes a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels to which image signals are supplied; a driver circuit including a signal line driver circuit which selectively controls a signal line and a gate line driver circuit which selectively controls a gate line; a memory circuit which stores the image signals; a comparison circuit which compares the image signals stored in the memory circuit in the pixels and detects a difference; and a display control circuit which controls the driver circuit and reads the image signal in accordance with the difference. The display control circuit supplies the image signal only to the pixel where the difference is detected. The pixel includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer including an oxide semiconductor.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to liquid crystal display devices.Further, the present invention relates to a method for driving liquidcrystal display devices. Furthermore, the present invention relates toelectronic devices including the liquid crystal display devices.

BACKGROUND ART

A thin film transistor formed over a flat plate such as a glasssubstrate is formed using amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon,as typically seen in a liquid crystal display device. Although a thinfilm transistor including amorphous silicon has low field effectmobility, it can be formed over a larger glass substrate. In contrast,although a thin film transistor including polycrystalline silicon hashigh field effect mobility, it needs a crystallization process such aslaser annealing and the threshold voltage greatly varies, so that such atransistor is not always suitable for a larger glass substrate.

In contrast, attention has been drawn to a technique by which a thinfilm transistor is formed using an oxide semiconductor and is applied toan electronic device or an optical device has attracted attention. Forexample, Reference 1 discloses a technique by which a thin filmtransistor is formed using zinc oxide or an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor for an oxide semiconductor film and is used as a switchingelement or the like in a liquid crystal display device.

REFERENCE

[Reference 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2006-165528

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

A thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channelregion has higher field effect mobility than a thin film transistorincluding amorphous silicon in a channel region. A pixel including sucha thin film transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor is expectedto be applied to a display device such as a liquid crystal displaydevice.

In each pixel included in a liquid crystal display device, a storagecapacitor for holding the potentials of opposite electrodes which holdsa liquid crystal material for a certain period is provided in part ofthe region of the pixel in order to control the alignment of a liquidcrystal element. In order to hold the potentials of the oppositeelectrodes which holds the liquid crystal material, it is necessary toreduce leakage of electric charge from the opposite electrodes whichholds the liquid crystal material. It is important to reduce theoff-state current of a thin film transistor connected to a pixelelectrode provided in each pixel.

In addition, when a still image is displayed or a moving image part ofwhich is a still image (such an image is also referred to as a partialmoving image) is displayed, even when image signals in a series ofperiods are the same, operation for rewriting the image signals into thesame image signals as image signals which have already been rewritten isnecessary. Accordingly, even when the image signals in the series ofperiods are the same, power consumption increases due to rewriteoperation of image signals plural times. In this case, even if powerconsumption is to be reduced by the decrease in the frequency ofrewrites of image signals, it is difficult to hold the images signals inpixels due to the increase in off-state current or the like. Thus, thereis concern that display quality will decrease.

Note that in this specification, off-state current is current whichflows between a source and a drain when a thin film transistor is off(non-conducting). In the case of an n-channel thin film transistor (forexample, with a threshold voltage of about 0 to 2 V), off-state currentis current which flows between a source and a drain when negativevoltage is applied between a gate and the source.

In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of one embodiment ofthe present invention to reduce the off-state current of a thin filmtransistor and the power consumption of a liquid crystal display devicecapable of displaying moving images and still images.

One embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal displaydevice including a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels towhich image signals are supplied; a driver circuit including a signalline driver circuit which selectively controls a signal line and a gateline driver circuit which selectively controls a gate line; a memorycircuit which stores the image signals; a comparison circuit whichcompares the image signals stored in the memory circuit in the pixelsand calculates a difference; and a display control circuit whichcontrols the driver circuit and reads the image signal in accordancewith the difference. The display control circuit supplies the imagesignal only to the pixel where the difference is detected. The pixelincludes a thin film transistor. A gate of the thin film transistor iselectrically connected to the gate line; a first terminal of the thinfilm transistor is electrically connected to the signal line; and asecond terminal of the thin film transistor is electrically connected toa pixel electrode. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductorlayer including an oxide semiconductor.

One embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal displaydevice including a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels towhich image signals are supplied; a driver circuit including a signalline driver circuit which selectively controls a signal line and aselection line and a gate line driver circuit which selectively controlsa gate line with decoder circuits; a memory circuit which stores theimage signals; a comparison circuit which compares the image signalsstored in the memory circuit in the pixels and calculates a difference;and a display control circuit which controls the driver circuit andreads the image signal in accordance with the difference. The displaycontrol circuit supplies the image signal only to the pixel where thedifference is detected by control of the decoder circuit. The pixelincludes a first thin film transistor and a second thin film transistor.A gate of the first thin film transistor is electrically connected tothe gate line; a first terminal of the first thin film transistor iselectrically connected to the signal line; and a second terminal of thefirst thin film transistor is electrically connected to a first terminalof the second thin film transistor. A gate of the second thin filmtransistor is electrically connected to the selection line, and a secondterminal of the second thin film transistor is electrically connected toa pixel electrode. The first thin film transistor and the second thinfilm transistor each include a semiconductor layer including an oxidesemiconductor.

One embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal displaydevice including a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels towhich image signals are supplied; a driver circuit including a signalline driver circuit which selectively controls a signal line with ashift register circuit and a gate line driver circuit which selectivelycontrols a gate line with a decoder circuit; a memory circuit whichstores the image signals; a comparison circuit which compares the imagesignals stored in the memory circuit in the pixels and calculates adifference; and a display control circuit which controls the drivercircuit and reads the image signal in accordance with the difference.The display control circuit supplies the image signal to the pixel wherethe difference is detected by control of the decoder circuit. The pixelincludes a thin film transistor. A gate of the thin film transistor iselectrically connected to the gate line; a first terminal of the thinfilm transistor is electrically connected to the signal line; and asecond terminal of the thin film transistor is electrically connected toa pixel electrode. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductorlayer including an oxide semiconductor.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the concentration ofhydrogen in the oxide semiconductor in the liquid crystal display devicethat is measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy may be 1×10¹⁶/cm³ orlower.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the carrier concentration ofthe oxide semiconductor in the liquid crystal display device may belower than 1×10¹⁴/cm³.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid crystal displaydevice may have the following structure: the pixel portion includes thepixel electrode in each pixel and is provided over a first substratetogether with a terminal portion and a switching transistor; a counterelectrode is provided on a second substrate; a liquid crystal is heldbetween the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; the counterelectrode is electrically connected to the terminal portion through theswitching transistor; and a semiconductor layer included in theswitching transistor is formed using an oxide semiconductor.

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for driving a liquidcrystal display device including a pixel portion including a pluralityof pixels to which image signals are supplied and which are providedwith thin film transistors including semiconductor layers formed usingoxide semiconductor, a driver circuit including a signal line drivercircuit and a gate line driver circuit, a memory circuit which storesthe image signals, a comparison circuit which compares the image signalsstored in the memory circuit in the pixels and calculates a difference,and a display control circuit which controls the driver circuit andreads the image signal. The method includes a step of reading andcomparing image signals in a series of frame periods that are stored inthe memory circuit in the pixels and calculating a difference in thecomparison circuit and a step of controlling the driver circuit so thatthe display control circuit supplies the image signal only to the pixelwhere the difference is detected in the comparison circuit.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the off-statecurrent of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor canbe reduced, and power consumed in displaying moving images, stillimages, or the like can be reduced without the decrease in displayquality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a liquid crystal display device in one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a liquid crystal display device in one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A to 7E illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A to 8E illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a liquid crystal display device in one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 10A to 10C illustrate electronic devices in one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 11A to 11C illustrate electronic devices in one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an inverted staggeredthin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are energy band diagrams (schematic diagrams) in anA-A′ cross section in FIG. 12 ;

FIG. 14A is an energy band diagram (a schematic diagram) illustrating astate in which a positive potential (+V_(G)) is applied to a gate (G1),and FIG. 14B is an energy band diagram (a schematic diagram)illustrating a state in which a negative potential (−V_(G)) is appliedto the gate (G1);

FIG. 15 illustrates a relationship among a vacuum level, a work function(ϕ_(M)) of a metal, and electron affinity (χ) of an oxide semiconductor;

FIG. 16 illustrates a liquid crystal display device in one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 17A to 17C illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate a liquid crystal display device in oneembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 19 shows I_(D)-V_(G) characteristics of a TFT in one embodiment ofthe present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to the drawings. Note that the present invention can beimplemented in various different ways and it will be readily appreciatedby those skilled in the art that modes and details of the presentinvention can be changed in various ways without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the presentinvention should not be construed as being limited to the followingdescription of the embodiments. Note that in structures of the presentinvention described below, reference numerals denoting the same portionsare used in common in different drawings.

Note that the size, the layer thickness, or the region of each componentillustrated in drawings and the like in embodiments is exaggerated forclarity in some cases. Therefore, embodiments of the present inventionare not limited to such scales.

Note that in this specification, terms such as “first”, “second”,“third”, and “N-th” (N is a natural number) are used in order to avoidconfusion among components and do not limit the number.

Embodiment 1

In this embodiment, a block diagram of a liquid crystal display deviceand a procedure for determining a moving image, a still image, and apartial moving image are described. First, FIG. 1 illustrates the blockdiagram of the liquid crystal display device.

A liquid crystal display device 1000 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes adisplay panel 1001, a memory circuit 1002, a comparison circuit 1003,and a display control circuit 1004. An image signal Data which issupplied to each pixel is input from the outside.

The display panel 1001 includes, for example, a driver circuit portion1005 and a pixel portion 1006.

The driver circuit portion 1005 includes a gate line driver circuit1007A and a signal line driver circuit 1007B. The gate line drivercircuit 1007A and the signal line driver circuit 1007B are drivercircuits for selectively driving a plurality of pixels included in thepixel portion 1006. Specifically, the driver circuit portion 1005includes a signal line driver circuit which selectively controls signallines and a gate line driver circuit which selectively controls gatelines. For example, decoder circuits may be used as the gate line drivercircuit 1007A and the signal line driver circuit 1007B. Alternatively, adecoder circuit may be used as the gate line driver circuit 1007A and ashift register circuit may be used as the signal line driver circuit1007B.

Note that the gate line driver circuit 1007A, the signal line drivercircuit 1007B, and the pixel portion 1006 may be formed using thin filmtransistors formed over one substrate. Alternatively, the gate linedriver circuit 1007A and the signal line driver circuit 1007B, and thepixel portion 1006 may be formed over different substrates.

Note that as a thin film transistor provided in each pixel of the pixelportion 1006, an n-channel thin film transistor whose semiconductorlayer is formed using an oxide semiconductor is used. An oxidesemiconductor used for the semiconductor layer of the thin filmtransistor included in the pixel portion 1006 and a thin film transistorwhose semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor aredescribed.

Note that as the display method of a pixel circuit, a progressivemethod, an interlace method, or the like can be employed. Further, colorelements controlled in a pixel at the time of color display are notlimited to three colors: R, G, and B (R, G, and B correspond to red,greed, and blue, respectively). For example, R, G, B, and W (Wcorresponds to white); R, G, B, and one or more of yellow, cyan,magenta, and the like; or the like can be used. Note that the size ofdisplay regions may be different between dots of color elements.However, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to acolor liquid crystal display device and can be applied to a monochromeliquid crystal display device.

As the oxide semiconductor, an oxide semiconductor such asIn—Sn—Ga—Zn—O, In—Ga—Zn—O, In—Sn—Zn—O, In—Al—Zn—O, Sn—Ga—Zn—O,Al—Ga—Zn—O, Sn—Al—Zn—O, In—Zn—O, Sn—Zn—O, Al—Zn—O, Zn—Mg—O, Sn—Mg—O,In—Mg—O, In—O, Sn—O, or Zn—O can be used. Further, Si may be containedin the oxide semiconductor.

As the oxide semiconductor, a thin film expressed by InMO₃(ZnO)_(m)(m>0) can be used. Here, M denotes one or more metal elements selectedfrom Ga, Al, Mn, or Co. For example, M can be Ga, Ga and Al, Ga and Mn,Ga and Co, or the like. Among oxide semiconductor films whosecomposition formulae are expressed by InMO₃(ZnO)_(m) (m>0), an oxidesemiconductor which includes Ga as M is referred to as anIn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, and a thin film of theIn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor is also referred to as anIn—Ga—Zn—O-based film.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an inverted staggeredthin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor. An oxidesemiconductor layer (OS) is provided over a gate electrode (GE1) with agate insulating film (G1) provided therebetween. A source electrode (S)and a drain electrode (D) are provided thereover.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are energy band diagrams (schematic diagrams) in anA-A′ cross section in FIG. 12 . FIG. 13A illustrates the case where thevoltage of a source and the voltage of a drain are equal (V_(D)=0 V),and FIG. 13B illustrates the case where a positive potential (V_(D)>0 V)is applied to the drain.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are energy band diagrams (schematic diagrams) in aB-B′ cross section in FIG. 12 . FIG. 14A illustrates a state in which apositive potential (+V_(G)) is applied to a gate (G1) and a carrier (anelectron) flows between the source and the drain. Further, FIG. 14Billustrates a state in which a negative potential (−V_(G)) is applied tothe gate (G1) and the thin film transistor is off (minority carriers donot flow). Note that in FIGS. 14A and 14B, a GND potential is applied toa gate (G2).

FIG. 15 illustrates a relationship between a vacuum level, the workfunction (ϕ_(M)) of a metal, and the electron affinity (χ) of an oxidesemiconductor.

A conventional oxide semiconductor generally has n-type conductivity,and the Fermi level (E_(F)) in that case is apart from the intrinsicFermi level (E_(i)) positioned in the middle of the band gap and ispositioned near the conduction band. Note that it is known that part ofhydrogen in an oxide semiconductor serves as a donor and is a factorwhich makes the oxide semiconductor have n-type conductivity.

In contrast, an oxide semiconductor of the present invention is anintrinsic (i-type) or substantially intrinsic oxide semiconductorobtained by removal of hydrogen, which is an n-type impurity, from theoxide semiconductor and by the increase in purity so that an impurityother than the main components of the oxide semiconductor is notincluded as much as possible. In other words, the oxide semiconductor isa highly purified intrinsic (i-type) semiconductor or a semiconductorwhich is close to a highly purified intrinsic semiconductor not byaddition of an impurity but by removal of an impurity such as hydrogenor water as much as possible. In this manner, the Fermi level (E_(F))can be equal to the intrinsic Fermi level (E_(i)).

It is said that in the case where the band gap (E_(g)) of the oxidesemiconductor is 3.15 eV, electron affinity (χ) is 4.3 eV. The workfunction of titanium (Ti) used for the source electrode and the drainelectrode is substantially equal to the electron affinity (χ) of theoxide semiconductor. In this case, the Schottky electron barrier is notformed at an interface between the metal and the oxide semiconductor.

In other words, in the case where the work function (ϕ_(M)) of the metalis equal to the electron affinity (χ) of the oxide semiconductor and themetal and the oxide semiconductor are in contact with each other, anenergy band diagram (a schematic diagram) like that in FIG. 13A isobtained.

In FIG. 13B, a black circle (●) indicates an electron. When positivevoltage is applied to the drain, the electron is injected into the oxidesemiconductor over a barrier (h) and flows toward the drain. In thatcase, the height of the barrier (h) changes depending on gate voltageand drain voltage; in the case where positive drain voltage is applied,the height of the barrier (h) is smaller than the height of the barrierin FIG. 13A where no voltage is applied, i.e., half of the band gap(E_(g)).

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 14A, the electron moves along thelowest part that is energetically stable on the oxide semiconductor sideat an interface between the gate insulating film and the highly purifiedoxide semiconductor.

Further, in FIG. 14B, when a negative potential is applied to the gate(G1), the amount of current is extremely close to zero because thenumber of holes that are minority carriers is substantially zero.

For example, even when the thin film transistor has a channel width W of1×10⁴ μm and a channel length L of 3 μm, an off-state current of 10⁻¹³ Aor less and a subthreshold swing (an S value) of 0.1 V/dec (thethickness of the gate insulating film is 100 nm) can be obtained.

By the increase in purity so that an impurity other than the maincomponents of the oxide semiconductor is not included as much aspossible in this manner, the thin film transistor can operate favorably.

In order to prevent variation in electrical characteristics of the oxidesemiconductor of the present invention, an impurity that causes thevariation, such as hydrogen, moisture, a hydroxyl group, or hydride(also referred to as a hydrogen compound), is intentionally removed fromthe oxide semiconductor layer. Additionally, the oxide semiconductorlayer becomes a highly purified electrically i-type (intrinsic) oxidesemiconductor layer by supply of oxygen which is a component of theoxide semiconductor that is simultaneously reduced in a step of removingthe impurity.

Therefore, it is preferable that the amount of hydrogen in the oxidesemiconductor be as small as possible. It is preferable that the amountof hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor be 1×10¹⁶/cm³ or less, andhydrogen contained in the oxide semiconductor is removed as much aspossible so as to be as close to zero as possible. Note that theconcentration of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor may be measured bysecondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS).

Further, the number of carriers in the highly purified oxidesemiconductor is significantly small (close to zero), and the carrierconcentration of the oxide semiconductor layer is lower than 1×10¹⁴/cm³,preferably 1×10¹²/cm³ or lower. That is, the carrier concentration ofthe oxide semiconductor layer is as close to zero as possible. Since thenumber of carriers in the oxide semiconductor is significantly small,the off-state current of the thin film transistor can be reduced. It ispreferable that the off-state current be as low as possible. The amountof current per micrometer of channel width (W) in the thin filmtransistor is 100 aA/μm or less, preferably 10 aA/μm or less, morepreferably 1 aA/μm or less.

Here, the case where the number of carriers is significantly small(substantially zero) and the off-state current is significantly low inthe highly purified oxide semiconductor is described in detail withreference to numerical formulae and measurement data.

If the Fermi-Dirac distribution holds true, E_(g) of the highly purifiedoxide semiconductor is 3.05 to 3.15 eV; thus, the number of intrinsiccarriers is much smaller than that of Si (also referred to as silicon).Further, the intrinsic carrier density n_(i) of Si is approximately 10¹⁰cm⁻³, and the intrinsic carrier density n_(i) of the highly purifiedoxide semiconductor is approximately 10⁻⁷ cm⁻³. In other words, thedifference between the intrinsic carrier density n_(i) of Si and theintrinsic carrier density n_(i) of the highly purified oxidesemiconductor is about a 17-digit difference, and it is found that theintrinsic carrier density n_(i) of the highly purified oxidesemiconductor is much lower than that of silicon.

The intrinsic carrier concentration of the highly purified oxidesemiconductor can be easily estimated.

It is known that the energy distribution f of an electron in a solid isbased on the Fermi-Dirac statistics expressed as Numerical Formula 1.

$\begin{matrix}{{f(E)}\  = \ \frac{1}{1 + {\exp\left( \frac{E - E_{F}}{kT} \right)}}} & \left\lbrack {{Numerical}\mspace{14mu}{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

The Fermi-Dirac distribution of a normal semiconductor which has not sohigh carrier density, i.e, a normal semiconductor which does notdegenerate can be approximated by the following numerical formula.|E−E _(F) |>kT  [Numerical Formula 2]

Therefore, the Fermi-Dirac distribution expressed as Numerical Formula 1can be approximated by the formula of the Boltzmann distributionexpressed as Numerical Formula 3.

$\begin{matrix}{{f(E)}\  = \ {\exp\left\lbrack {- \frac{E - E_{F}}{kT}} \right\rbrack}} & \left\lbrack {{Numerical}\mspace{14mu}{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

When the intrinsic carrier density (n_(i)) of the semiconductor iscalculated using Numerical Formula 3, Numerical Formula 4 is obtained.

$\begin{matrix}{n_{i} = {\sqrt{N_{C}N_{V}}{\exp\left( {- \frac{E_{g}}{2kT}} \right)}}} & {\mspace{11mu}\left\lbrack {{Numerical}\mspace{14mu}{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 4} \right\rbrack}\end{matrix}$

The intrinsic carrier density was calculated by substitution of thevalues of effective density of states (Nc and Nv) and band gaps (E_(g))in the conduction band and the valence band of Si disclosed in thereference and In—Ga—Zn—O (hereinafter abbreviated as IGZO) intoNumerical Formula 4. Table 1 shows calculations. Note that as the bandgap of IGZO, a reference value of 3.05 eV (IGZO1) and a measured valueof 3.15 eV (IGZO2) are shown.

TABLE 1 Si IGZO(1) IGZO(2) Nc (300K) [cm⁻³]  2.8 × 10¹⁹ 5.0 × 10¹⁸ 5.0 ×10¹⁸ Nv (300K) [cm⁻³] 1.04 × 10¹⁹ 5.0 × 10¹⁸ 5.0 × 10¹⁸ Eg (300K) [eV]1.08 3.05 3.15 n_(i) (300K) [cm⁻³] 1.45 × 10¹⁰ 1.2 × 10⁻⁷ 1.7 × 10⁻⁸

The results in Table 1 show that the intrinsic carrier density of IGZOis much lower than that of Si. In the case where 3.05 eV is selected asthe band gap of IGZO, the difference between the intrinsic carrierconcentration of Si and the intrinsic carrier concentration of IGZO isabout a 17-digit difference.

Next, the significantly low off-state current of the highly purifiedoxide semiconductor is described in detail.

As described above, the number of minority carriers in the highlypurified oxide semiconductor is sufficiently small. In order to estimatethe lower limit of the off-state current, the off-state current of athin film transistor having a channel width W of 1 m and including ahighly purified oxide semiconductor in a semiconductor layer wasmeasured. FIG. 19 is a graph showing drain current when gate voltage isapplied. As shown in FIG. 19 , the off-state current is 1×10⁻¹² A orless that is the detection limit of a measurement device. In this case,when the channel width W of the thin film transistor is estimated to be1 μm, the off-state current is 1 aA or less (1×10⁻¹⁸ A or less).

As one of the factors that helps the off-state current of the thin filmtransistor to occur, it is known that a carrier supplied to a channelthrough generation and recombination of an electron and a hole flows. Asthe generation and recombination, there are direct generation andrecombination where an electron is excited from the valence band (Ev) tothe conduction band (Ec) and indirect generation and recombinationcaused via a localized level (Et) in a band gap. In general, in the caseof a semiconductor with a small band gap, such a semiconductor has ahigher carrier concentration than a semiconductor with a large band gap;thus, generation and recombination caused via a localized level areactively performed. In contrast, in the case of a semiconductor with alarge band gap, such as a highly purified oxide semiconductor, such asemiconductor has a lower carrier concentration than a semiconductorwith a small band gap; thus, generation and recombination are not oftenperformed and minority carriers are not likely to be supplied.Accordingly, off-state current caused by generation and recombination ofcarriers is low.

Note that as wide gap semiconductors, for example, SiC (3.26 eV) and GaN(3.39 eV) are known. These materials are expected as next-generationmaterials because they have breakdown electric field strength which isone digit larger than that of Si and high heat resistance. However, in asemiconductor process using these materials, treatment at 1000° C. orhigher is performed; thus, it is impossible to form a device over aglass substrate. In contrast, as a highly purified oxide semiconductor,a thin film is formed at room temperature to 400° C. by sputtering, anddehydration, dehydrogenation, and excessive oxidation can be performedat 450 to 700° C.; thus, the highly purified oxide semiconductor has aless adverse effect in a semiconductor process than SiC or GaN with thesame or substantially the same band gap.

By drastically removing hydrogen contained in an oxide semiconductor asdescribed above, in a thin film transistor which includes a highlypurified oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, the numberof minority carriers and the amount of off-state current can besignificantly reduced. In other words, in circuit design, an oxidesemiconductor layer can be regarded as an insulator when the thin filmtransistor is off. In contrast, the mobility of the oxide semiconductorlayer is approximately two digits larger than that of a semiconductorlayer formed using amorphous silicon when the thin film transistor ison.

On the other hand, a thin film transistor including low-temperaturepolysilicon is designed on the assumption that off-state current isabout 10000 times as high as that of a thin film transistor including anoxide semiconductor. Therefore, in the case where the thin filmtransistor including an oxide semiconductor is compared with the thinfilm transistor including low-temperature polysilicon, the voltage holdtime of the thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor can beextended about 10000 times when storage capacitances are equal orsubstantially equal to each other (about 0.1 pF). Further, in the caseof a thin film transistor including amorphous silicon, off-state currentper micrometer of channel width is 1×10⁻¹³ A/μm or more. Therefore, whenstorage capacitances are equal to or substantially equal to each other(about 0.1 pF), the voltage hold time of a transistor including ahigh-purity oxide semiconductor can be extended 10⁴ times or more aslong as that of the thin film transistor including amorphous silicon.

Specifically, an image signal can be held in each pixel for a longerperiod of time in the case of a thin film transistor including an oxidesemiconductor layer. Thus, for example, an interval between rewrites ofimage signals in displaying still images can be 10 seconds or longer,preferably 30 seconds or longer, more preferably one minute or longerand shorter than ten minutes. In other words, the hold time can beextended and the frequency of supplies of image signals and commonpotentials to a pixel electrode and a counter electrode can be reducedparticularly when still images are displayed. Thus, power consumptioncan be reduced.

Note that in displaying still images, refresh operation may be performedas appropriate considering a retention rate of voltage applied to aliquid crystal element in a hold period. For example, refresh operationmay be performed at timing of when the level of voltage is decreased toa certain level with respect to the level (initial level) of voltageimmediately after a signal is written to a pixel electrode of a liquidcrystal element. The certain level of voltage is preferably set to alevel at which a flicker is not perceived with respect to the initiallevel. Specifically, in the case where a display object is an image,refresh operation (a repetitive rewrite of an image signal) ispreferably performed every time the voltage becomes 1%, preferably 0.3%lower than the initial level. Further, in the case where a displayobject is a character, refresh operation (a repetitive rewrite of animage signal) is preferably performed every time the voltage becomes10%, preferably 3% lower than the initial level.

Note that, for example, in the case of a pixel including a transistorformed using low-temperature polysilicon, a moving image is generallydisplayed at 60 frames per second (16 msec per frame). The same can beapplied to the case where a still image is displayed because if arefresh rate is decreased (an interval between rewrites of image signalsis extended), the voltage of the pixel is lowered, which adverselyaffects the image display. In contrast, in the case where the transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor layer is used, the hold time per imagesignal rewrite can be extended to 160 seconds which is about 10⁴ timesas long as that of the transistor formed using low-temperaturepolysilicon because off-state current is low.

Since the hold time per image signal rewrite can be extended, thefrequency of each image signal rewrite can be reduced particularly whena still image is displayed. For example, the frequency of rewrites ofimage signals in a period during which one still image is displayed canbe once or n times. Note that n is greater than or equal to 2 and lessthan or equal to 10³. Thus, the power consumption of a liquid crystaldisplay device can be reduced.

Note that the resistance to flow of the off-state current of a thin filmtransistor can be referred to as off-state resistivity. The off-stateresistivity is resistivity of a channel formation region when the thinfilm transistor is off, and the off-state resistivity can be calculatedfrom off-state current.

Specifically, if the amount of off-state current and the level of drainvoltage are known, resistance when the transistor is off (off resistanceR) can be calculated using Ohm's law. In addition, if a cross section Aof the channel formation region and the length L of the channelformation region (the length corresponds to a distance between a sourceelectrode and a drain electrode) are known, off-state resistivity p canbe calculated from the formula ρ=RAIL (R is off resistance).

Here, the cross section A can be calculated from the formula A=dW (d isthe thickness of the channel formation region and W is the channelwidth). In addition, the length L of the channel formation region ischannel length L. In this manner, the off-state resistivity can becalculated from the off-state current.

The off-state resistivity of the transistor including an oxidesemiconductor in a semiconductor layer in this embodiment is preferably1×10⁹ Ω·m or more, more preferably 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m or more.

Since an image signal can be held for a longer period of time, thefrequency of rewrites of image signals can be reduced particularly whena still image is displayed. Thus, the power consumption of a drivercircuit portion can be reduced.

Note that a high power supply potential V_(dd) is a potential which ishigher than a reference potential, and a low power supply potential is apotential which is lower than or equal to the reference potential. Notethat both the high power supply potential and the low power supplypotential are preferably potentials with which a thin film transistorcan operate.

Note that voltage is a difference between a given potential and areference potential (e.g., a ground potential) in many cases. Thus,voltage, a potential, and a potential difference can also be referred toas a potential and voltage.

Note that in the case where an image signal Data for displaying a movingimage or a still image which is input to the memory circuit 1002 is ananalog signal, the image signal may be converted into a digital signalthrough an A/D converter or the like to be input to the memory circuit1002. When the image signal is converted into a digital signal inadvance, detection of a difference of the image signal that is to beperformed later can be easily performed, which is preferable.

The memory circuit 1002 includes a plurality of frame memories 1008 forstoring image signals for a plurality of frames. The number of framememories 1008 included in the memory circuit 1002 is not particularlylimited to a certain number as long as the image signals for theplurality of frames can be stored. Note that the frame memory 1008 maybe formed using a memory element such as a dynamic random access memory(DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM), for example.

Note that the number of frame memories 1008 is not particularly limitedto a certain number as long as an image signal is stored every frameperiod. Further, the image signals stored in the frame memories 1008 areselectively read by the comparison circuit 1003 and the display controlcircuit 1004.

The comparison circuit 1003 is a circuit for selectively reading imagesignals in a series of frame periods that are stored in the memorycircuit 1002, comparing the image signals in pixels in the series offrame periods, and calculating differences of the image signals. Notethat the difference of the image signal may be any difference as long asit can be obtained by calculation of a difference between gray levels ofthe image signals in the series of frame periods, for example.

By calculation of the differences of the image signals in the comparisoncircuit 1003, when differences are detected in all the pixels, a seriesof frame periods during which the differences are detected are judged asperiods during which moving images are displayed. In addition, bycalculation of the differences of the image signals in the comparisoncircuit 1003, when differences are detected in some of the pixels, aseries of frame periods during which the differences are detected arejudged as periods during which partial moving images are displayed.Further, by calculation of the differences of the image signals in thecomparison circuit 1003, when differences are not detected in all thepixels, a series of frame periods during which the differences are notdetected are judged as periods during which still images are displayed.In other words, by detection of differences through calculation of thedifferences in the comparison circuit 1003, the image signals in theseries of frames are judged as images signals for displaying movingimages, image signals for displaying partial moving images, or imagesignals for displaying still images. Note that a difference obtained bycalculation in the comparison circuit 1003 may be set so as to be judgedas a difference when it exceeds a certain level. The comparison circuit1003 may be set so as to judge detection of differences by the absolutevalues of the differences regardless of the values of the differences.

Note that by switching of a plurality of images which are time-dividedinto a plurality of frames at high speed, the images are recognized as amotion image by human eyes. Specifically, by switching of images atleast 60 times (60 frames) per second, the images are recognized as amoving image with less flicker by human eyes. In contrast, unlike amoving image and a partial moving image, a still image is an image whichdoes not change in a series of frame periods, for example, in an n-thframe and an (n+1)th frame though a plurality of images which aretime-divided into a plurality of frame periods are switched at highspeed. Further, by switching of a plurality of images which aretime-divided into a plurality of frames at high speed, the images arerecognized as a partial moving image by human eyes. The partial movingimage has a region where an image signal in each pixel is changed in aseries of frame periods, for example, an n-th frame and an (n+1)th frameand a region where the image signal in each pixel is not changed in aseries of frame periods, for example, the n-th frame and the (n+1)thframe. Note that when the difference of an image signal is calculated inthe comparison circuit 1003, the image signal is preferably a digitalsignal.

The display control circuit 1004 is a circuit for reading the imagesignal Data from the memory circuit 1002 in order to supply the imagesignal Data to a pixel where the difference is detected in response todetection of the difference of the image signal in the comparisoncircuit 1003 and for supplying a signal which controls the drivercircuit portion 1005.

In order to describe the specific operation of the display controlcircuit 1004, a simple model of a pixel in the pixel portion isillustrated, and the change in an image signal when an image is a movingimage, a still image, or a partial moving image is described.

First, FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic diagram of a pixel portion 201including pixels in three rows and three columns. A pixel in a first rowand a first column is denoted by A1, and pixels up to a pixel in a thirdrow and a third column are denoted by A1 to A9. Note that as a matter ofcourse, in an actual liquid crystal display device, the number of pixelsin a pixel portion is often several tens of thousands, and the frequencyof supplies of image signals to the pixels is increased.

Next, in order to describe a series of moving images, FIG. 2Billustrates the change in images in a plurality of periods, for example,in each one frame period, i.e., the change in image signals in pixelsthat corresponds to FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2B, image signals which are inputto the pixels are illustrated while the frame periods are referred to asfirst to sixth periods T1 to T6. FIG. 2B illustrates the change in theimage signals in the pixels when a moving image, a still image, and apartial moving image are displayed. Note that gray levels expressed inthe pixels with the use of image signals are two gray levels forpurposes of illustration and are indicated by non-shaded regions andshaded regions in FIG. 2B. Further, FIG. 2B illustrates differences D1to D5, differences D6 to D10, and differences D11 to D15 as the changein images in periods.

In the first period T1 of a moving image illustrated in FIG. 2B, imagesignals are supplied so that A1 in the first row and the first column,A3 in the first row and the third column, A5 in a second row and asecond column, A7 in the third row and the first column, and A9 in thethird row and the third column are shaded regions, and A2 in the firstrow and the second column, A4 in the second row and the first column, A6in the second row and the third column, and A8 in the third row and thesecond column are non-shaded regions. Further, in the second period T2of the moving image illustrated in FIG. 2B, image signals are suppliedso that A2 in the first row and the second column, A4 in the second rowand the first column, A6 in the second row and the third column, and A8in the third row and the second column are shaded regions, and A1 in thefirst row and the first column, A3 in the first row and the thirdcolumn, A5 in the second row and the second column, A7 in the third rowand the first column, and A9 in the third row and the third column arenon-shaded regions. That is, the image signals supplied are switched ina series of periods in all the pixels; thus, the difference D1calculated in the comparison circuit 1003 is detected in all the pixels.In other words, the display control circuit 1004 controls the drivercircuit portion 1005 and reads the image signals from the memory circuit1002 so that the image signals are supplied only to pixels where thedifference D1 is detected.

Similarly, in the second period T2 and the third period T3 of the movingimage, image signals are switched in all the pixels A1 to A9. Therefore,the difference D2 calculated in the comparison circuit 1003 is detectedin all the pixels. In other words, the display control circuit 1004controls the driver circuit portion 1005 and reads the image signalsfrom the memory circuit 1002 so that the image signals are supplied onlyto pixels where the difference D2 is detected. Similarly, in the case ofthe moving image, by detection of differences of image signals in allthe pixels, the differences D3 to D5 can be obtained by calculation inthe comparison circuit 1003. In other words, in the case of the movingimage, a difference between a series of frames is detected in all thepixels by calculation in the comparison circuit 1003; thus, the displaycontrol circuit 1004 controls the driver circuit portion 1005 and readsthe image signals from the memory circuit 1002 so that the image signalsare supplied to all the pixels.

In the first period T1 of a still image illustrated in FIG. 2B, imagesignal are supplied so that A1 in the first row and the first column, A3in the first row and the third column, A5 in the second row and thesecond column, A7 in the third row and the first column, and A9 in thethird row and the third column are shaded regions, and A2 in the firstrow and the second column, A4 in the second row and the first column, A6in the second row and the third column, and A8 in the third row and thesecond column are non-shaded regions. Further, in the second period T2of the still image illustrated in FIG. 2B, the image signals aresupplied so that A1 in the first row and the first column, A3 in thefirst row and the third column, A5 in the second row and the secondcolumn, A7 in the third row and the first column, and A9 in the thirdrow and the third column are shaded regions, and A2 in the first row andthe second column, A4 in the second row and the first column, A6 in thesecond row and the third column, and A8 in the third row and the secondcolumn are non-shaded regions. That is, the image signals are notchanged in all the pixels; thus, the difference D6 calculated in thecomparison circuit 1003 is not detected in all the pixels. In otherwords, the display control circuit 1004 neither controls the drivercircuit portion 1005 nor reads the image signals from the memory circuit1002 because the difference D6 is not detected.

Similarly, in the second period T2 and the third period T3, imagesignals are not changed in all the pixels. Therefore, the difference D7calculated in the comparison circuit 1003 is not detected in all thepixels. In other words, it is not necessary to supply image signals tothe pixels, to control the driver circuit portion 1005, and to read theimage signals from the memory circuit 1002 because the difference D7 isnot detected. Similarly, in the case of the still image, sincedifferences of image signals are not detected in all the pixels, thedifferences D8 to D10 calculated in the comparison circuit 1003 are notdetected. In other words, in the case of the still image, a differencebetween a series of frames is not detected by calculation in thecomparison circuit 1003; thus, the display control circuit 1004 does notcontrol the driver circuit portion 1005 and reading of the image signalsfrom the memory circuit 1002 can be omitted. Accordingly, powerconsumption can be reduced.

In the structure of this embodiment, by provision of a thin filmtransistor including an oxide semiconductor in a semiconductor layer ineach pixel, the supply of an image signal is controlled. As describedabove, the off-state current of the thin film transistor including anoxide semiconductor in a semiconductor layer can be reduced. Therefore,if the same image signal is used, a still image can be displayed withoutadditional supply of an image signal.

Note that in displaying still images for a long time, refresh operationmay be performed in such a manner that an image signal is supplied everycertain period and a potential which is based on an image signal held ineach pixel is supplied again. For example, refresh operation may beperformed at timing of when the level of voltage is decreased to acertain level with respect to the level (initial level) of voltageimmediately after a signal is written to a pixel electrode of a liquidcrystal element. The certain level of voltage is preferably set to alevel at which a flicker is not perceived with respect to the initiallevel. Specifically, in the case where a display object is an image,refresh operation (a repetitive rewrite of an image signal) ispreferably performed every time the voltage becomes 1.0%, preferably0.3% lower than the initial level. Further, in the case where a displayobject is a character, refresh operation (a repetitive rewrite of animage signal) is preferably performed every time the voltage becomes10%, preferably 3% lower than the initial level.

In the first period T1 of a partial moving image illustrated in FIG. 2B,image signals are supplied so that A1 in the first row and the firstcolumn, A3 in the first row and the third column, A5 in the second rowand the second column, A7 in the third row and the first column, and A9in the third row and the third column are shaded regions, and A2 in thefirst row and the second column, A4 in the second row and the firstcolumn, A6 in the second row and the third column, and A8 in the thirdrow and the second column are non-shaded regions. Further, in the secondperiod T2 of the partial moving image illustrated in FIG. 2B, imagesignals are supplied so that A3 in the first row and the third column,A5 in the second row and the second column, A7 in the third row and thefirst column, and A9 in the third row and the third column are shadedregions, and A1 in the first row and the first column, A2 in the firstrow and the second column, A4 in the second row and the first column, A6in the second row and the third column, and A8 in the third row and thesecond column are non-shaded regions. In other words, in the case of thepartial moving image, the difference D11 between frames is detected inone of the pixels, and the difference D11 between the frames that iscalculated in the comparison circuit 1003 is not detected in the otherpixels. Specifically, the difference D11 is detected only in A1 in thefirst row and the first column by calculation in the comparison circuit1003. Thus, the display control circuit 1004 controls the driver circuitportion 1005 and reads the image signal from the memory circuit 1002 sothat the image signal is supplied only to the pixel A1 in the first rowand the first column.

Similarly, in the second period T2 and the third period T3, an imagesignal is switched only in the pixel A3 in the first row and the thirdcolumn. Therefore, the difference D12 calculated in the comparisoncircuit 1003 is detected only in the pixel A3 in the first row and thethird column. In other words, the display control circuit 1004 controlsthe driver circuit portion 1005 and reads the image signal from thememory circuit 1002 so that the image signal is supplied only to thepixel where the difference D12 is detected. Similarly, in the case ofthe partial moving image, by detection of differences of image signalsin some of the pixels by calculation in the comparison circuit 1003, thedifferences D13 to D15 can be obtained. In other words, in the case ofthe partial moving image, a difference between a series of frames isdetected in some of the pixels by calculation in the comparison circuit1003; thus, the display control circuit 1004 controls the driver circuitportion 1005 and reads the image signals from the memory circuit 1002 sothat the image signals are supplied to some of the pixels.

As described in the examples of FIGS. 2A and 2B, in order to determinewhether an image is a moving image, a still image, or a partial movingimage, differences of image signals between frames are calculated in thecomparison circuit 1003 so as to be extracted in pixels, and the displaycontrol circuit 1004 performs control so that the image signals aresupplied to the pixels where the differences are detected. Therefore,when operation for inputting the same image signal to a pixel to whichan image signal which is the same as the signal in the preceding periodis input again is omitted, the number of additional supplies of imagesignals to pixels can be significantly reduced. Accordingly, the numberof operations of the driver circuit portion can be reduced, so thatpower consumption can be reduced.

Next, each structure of the driver circuit portion and the pixel portionin this embodiment is described. FIG. 3A illustrates the display controlcircuit 1004, the pixel portion 1006, the gate line driver circuit1007A, and the signal line driver circuit 1007B. The pixel portion 1006includes a plurality of pixels 300. A gate line 301 which extends fromthe gate line driver circuit 1007 and a signal line 302 and a selectionline 303 which extend from the signal line driver circuit 1007B areconnected to each of the pixels 300. Note that in FIG. 3A, the gate linedriver circuit 1007A and the signal line driver circuit 1007B includedecoder circuits 304, and signals output from address lines of thedisplay control circuit 1004 are controlled.

Note that when it is explicitly described that “A and B are connected”,the case where A and B are electrically connected, the case where A andB are functionally connected, and the case where A and B are directlyconnected are included. Here, each of A and B is an object (e.g., adevice, an element, a circuit, a wiring, an electrode, a terminal, aconductive film, or a layer). Accordingly, another element may beinterposed between elements having a connection relation illustrated indrawings and texts, without limitation to a predetermined connectionrelation, for example, the connection relation illustrated in thedrawings and the texts.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example of the decoder circuit. The decodercircuit inputs address signals to NAND circuits 311A and 311B fromaddress lines C1, C1 b, C2, C2 b, C3, C3 b, C4, and C4 b and outputs theoutputs of the NAND circuits 311A and 311B to an output terminal OUT1through a NOR circuit 312. With the structure in FIG. 3B, the potentialsof the address lines can be controlled in the display control circuit1004, and the potential of the output terminal can be selectivelycontrolled.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example of the gate line driver circuit 1007Aincluding the decoder circuit. Specifically, FIG. 4A illustrates astructure where the gate line driver circuit 1007A includes a buffercircuit 490 in addition to the structure of the decoder circuit 304 inFIG. 3B. Inverter circuits 491 and 492 may be connected in series as thebuffer circuit 490 so that signals are output to gate lines Gout. FIG.4B illustrates an example of the signal line driver circuit 1007Bincluding the decoder circuit 304. Specifically, FIG. 4B illustrates astructure where the signal line driver circuit 1007B includes a switch493 in addition to the structure of the decoder circuit 304 in FIG. 3B.The output of the NOR circuit 312 may be used for switching on/off ofthe switch, and the image signal Data may be output to signal lines Soutand the output of the NOR circuit 312 may be used as the output ofselection lines Cout.

When the decoder circuits 304 are used in the gate line driver circuit1007A and the signal line driver circuit 1007B as described above, agiven gate line, a given signal line, or a given selection line can beselected, that is, the supply of an image signal to a given pixel can becontrolled when an address is specified by the display control circuit1004.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the structure of the pixel 300 in FIG.3B. The pixel 300 includes a first thin film transistor 501, a secondthin film transistor 502, a liquid crystal element 503, and a counterelectrode 504. A gate terminal of the first thin film transistor 501 isconnected to the gate line 301. A first terminal of the first thin filmtransistor 501 is connected to the signal line 302. A second terminal ofthe first thin film transistor 501 is connected to a second terminal ofthe second thin film transistor 502. A gate terminal of the second thinfilm transistor is connected to the selection line 303. A first terminalof the second thin film transistor is connected to one electrode (alsoreferred to as a first electrode) of the liquid crystal element 503. Theother electrode of the liquid crystal element is connected to thecounter electrode 504. When the pixel is selected, the first thin filmtransistor 501 and the second thin film transistor 502 are turned on, sothat an image signal can be supplied to the first electrode side of theliquid crystal element 503.

Note that in FIG. 5 , a storage capacitor may be connected in parallelto the liquid crystal element. The capacitance of the storage capacitormay be set considering the leakage current of a thin film transistorprovided in a pixel portion or the like so that electric charge can beheld for a certain period. The capacitance of the storage capacitor maybe set considering the off-state current of the thin film transistor, orthe like. In this embodiment, since a transistor including a high-purityoxide semiconductor layer is used as the thin film transistor, it issufficient to provide a storage capacitor having capacitance which is ⅓or less, preferably ⅕ or less of liquid crystal capacitance in eachpixel.

The specific resistance of a liquid crystal material is 1×10¹² Ω·cm orhigher, preferably higher than 1×10¹³ Ω·cm, more preferably higher than1×10¹⁴ Ω·cm.

Note that the specific resistance in this specification is measured at20° C. In the case where a liquid crystal element (also referred to as aliquid crystal cell) in which a liquid crystal is held betweenelectrodes is used, the specific resistance of the liquid crystal is1×10¹¹ Ω·cm or higher, preferably higher than 1×10¹² Ω·cm in some casesbecause there is a possibility that an impurity might be mixed into theliquid crystal from a component such as an alignment film or a sealant.

As the liquid crystal material, a thermotropic liquid crystal, alow-molecular liquid crystal, a polymer liquid crystal, a polymerdispersed liquid crystal, a ferroelectric liquid crystal, ananti-ferroelectric liquid crystal, or the like is used. Such a liquidcrystal material exhibits a cholesteric phase, a smectic phase, a cubicphase, a chiral nematic phase, an isotropic phase, or the like dependingon conditions.

As the specific resistance of the liquid crystal material becomeshigher, the amount of electric charge which leaks through the liquidcrystal material can be reduced, so that the decrease over time involtage for holding the operation state of the liquid crystal elementcan be suppressed. Accordingly, the hold time can be extended, so thatthe frequency of rewrites of image signals can be reduced and the powerconsumption of the liquid crystal display device can be reduced.

Further, as the liquid crystal material, a liquid crystal materialexhibiting a blue phase may be used. A blue phase is one of liquidcrystal phases that is generated just before a cholesteric phase changesinto an isotropic phase while the temperature of a cholesteric liquidcrystal is raised. Since the blue phase appears only in a narrowtemperature range, a liquid crystal composition containing a chiralmaterial at 5 wt % or more of is used for a liquid crystal layer inorder to improve the temperature range. A liquid crystal compositioncontaining a liquid crystal showing a blue phase and a chiral agent hasa short response time of 1 msec or less and is optically isotropic;thus, alignment treatment is not necessary and viewing angle dependenceis small. In addition, since an alignment film does not need to beprovided, rubbing treatment is not necessary. Thus, electrostaticdischarge caused by rubbing treatment can be prevented and defects anddamage of the liquid crystal display device in a manufacturing processcan be reduced. Therefore, productivity of the liquid crystal displaydevice can be improved. A thin film transistor including an oxidesemiconductor layer particularly has a possibility that electricalcharacteristics of the thin film transistor might fluctuatesignificantly due to the influence of static electricity and deviatefrom the designed range. Therefore, it is more effective to use a bluephase liquid crystal material for a liquid crystal display deviceincluding a thin film transistor having an oxide semiconductor layer.

The structure of this embodiment is not limited to a liquid crystaldisplay device and can also be applied to an EL display device includinga light-emitting element such as an electroluminescent element (alsoreferred to as an EL element) as a display element.

In the structure of the pixel 300 illustrated in FIG. 5 , the first thinfilm transistor 501 and the second thin film transistor 502 in aselected pixel are turned on by control of the gate line 301, the signalline 302, and the selection line 303 so that an image signal can besupplied to the liquid crystal element 503. Therefore, when a movingimage or a partial moving image is displayed, an image signal can besupplied only to a pixel where a difference of the image signal betweena series of frames is detected.

As described above, in this embodiment, when thin film transistorsincluding oxide semiconductors are used as the first thin filmtransistor 501 and the second thin film transistor 502, off-statecurrent can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a liquidcrystal display device in which voltage can be held in a storagecapacitor for a longer time and power consumption when a still image isdisplayed can be reduced.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the structures described inthe other embodiments as appropriate.

Embodiment 2

In this embodiment, in addition to the structure described in the aboveembodiment, a structure with which voltage can be held for a longer timewhen a still image is displayed is described. In this embodiment, aschematic diagram, a circuit diagram, and the like of a liquid crystaldisplay device which can be described in addition to the structure inthe above embodiment are illustrated, and advantageous effects of thestructure in this embodiment are described.

A liquid crystal display device illustrated in FIG. 6A includes a firstsubstrate 101 and a second substrate 102. The first substrate 101includes a pixel portion 103, a gate line driver circuit 104, a signalline driver circuit 105, a terminal portion 106, and a switchingtransistor 107. The second substrate 102 includes a common connectionportion 108 (also referred to as a common contact) and a counterelectrode 109.

It is necessary that the first substrate 101 and the second substrate102 have light-transmitting properties and heat resistance high enoughto withstand heat treatment to be performed later. A glass substrateused for electronics industry (also referred to as a non-alkali glasssubstrate), such as an aluminosilicate glass substrate, analuminoborosilicate glass substrate, or a barium borosilicate glasssubstrate; a quartz substrate; a ceramic substrate; a plastic substrate;or the like can be used.

Note that the pixel portion 103, the gate line driver circuit 104, thesignal line driver circuit 105, and the switching transistor 107 whichare illustrated in FIG. 6A may be formed using thin film transistorsformed over the first substrate 101. Note that the gate line drivercircuit 104 and the signal line driver circuit 105 are not necessarilyformed using thin film transistors formed over the first substrate 101and may be formed using thin film transistors formed over a differentsubstrate or the like which is provided outside the first substrate 101.

Note that as in the description of FIG. 5 in Embodiment 1, a gate line,a signal line, a selection line, and a pixel are provided in the pixelportion 103.

Note that a switching transistor described in this specification is athin film transistor in which conduction or non-conduction between twoterminals, i.e., a source terminal and a drain terminal is selected inresponse to a potential applied to a gate so that switching operation isrealized. For example, a potential which is applied to a gate terminalof the thin film transistor may be controlled so that the thin filmtransistor operates in a linear region. Note that a potential which isapplied to a gate terminal of the switching transistor 107 may besupplied from the terminal portion 106. One of a source terminal and adrain terminal of the switching transistor 107 that is connected to theterminal portion 106 is referred to as a first terminal. The other ofthe source terminal and the drain terminal of the switching transistor107 that is connected to the counter electrode through the commonconnection portion 108 is referred to as a second terminal. Note that acommon potential which is supplied to the counter electrode 109 issupplied from the first terminal of the switching transistor 107, andon/off of the switching transistor 107 is controlled by a potentialsupplied to the gate terminal of the switching transistor 107.

Note that the switching transistor may have any of the followingstructures: an inverted staggered structure; a staggered structure; adouble-gate structure in which a channel region is divided into aplurality of regions and the divided channel regions are connected inseries; and a dual-gate structure in which gate electrodes are providedover and below a channel region. Further, a semiconductor layer includedin the switching transistor may be divided into a plurality ofisland-shaped semiconductor layers so that switching operation isrealized.

Further, a signal (an address signal) for controlling decoder circuitsin the gate line driver circuit 104 and the signal line driver circuit105, an image signal (also referred to as video voltage, a video signal,or video data), a common potential which is supplied to the counterelectrode 109, a signal for operating the switching transistor 107, andthe like are supplied to the terminal portion 106.

The common potential may be any potential as long as it serves asreference with respect to the potential of an image signal supplied to apixel electrode. For example, the common potential may be a groundpotential.

The common connection portion 108 is provided for electricallyconnecting the second terminal of the switching transistor 107 in thefirst substrate 101 and the counter electrode in the second substrate102 to each other. The common potential is supplied from the terminalportion 106 to the counter electrode through the switching transistor107 and the common connection portion 108. As a specific example of thecommon connection portion 108, a conductive particle in which aninsulating sphere is coated with a thin metal film may be used, so thatelectrical connection is made. Note that two or more common connectionportions 108 may be provided between the first substrate 101 and thesecond substrate 102.

It is preferable that the counter electrode 109 overlap with the pixelelectrode included in the pixel portion 103. Further, the counterelectrode 109 and the pixel electrode included in the pixel portion 103may have a variety of opening patterns.

In the case where the pixel portion 103, the gate line driver circuit104, the signal line driver circuit 105, and the switching transistor107 are formed over the first substrate 101 or in the case where thepixel portion 103 and the switching transistor 107 are formed over thefirst substrate 101, an n-channel thin film transistor including asemiconductor layer formed using an oxide semiconductor is used as athin film transistor included in each circuit. Note that the advantagesof usage of an oxide semiconductor for the semiconductor layer of thethin film transistor are as described in Embodiment 1.

In other words, in the case where a switching element or the like isformed using a thin film transistor having significantly low off-statecurrent, the amount of off-state current is small and leakage hardlyoccurs. Therefore, leakage of electric charge at a node connected to theswitching element can be reduced as much as possible, so that the timefor holding a potential at the node can be extended.

Next, FIG. 6B illustrates a schematic diagram of the liquid crystaldisplay device in FIG. 6A, where the structure of the pixel portion 103is particularly illustrated in detail.

The liquid crystal display device illustrated in FIG. 6B includes thefirst substrate 101 and the second substrate 102, as in FIG. 6A. Thefirst substrate 101 includes the pixel portion 103, the gate line drivercircuit 104, the signal line driver circuit 105, the terminal portion106, and the switching transistor 107. The second substrate 102 includesthe common connection portion 108 and the counter electrode 109.

In FIG. 6B, a plurality of gate lines 111, a plurality of signal lines112, and a plurality of selection lines 114 are arranged longitudinallyand laterally in the pixel portion 103, and the gate lines 111, thesignal lines 112, and the selection lines 114 are provided with pixels113 each including the first thin film transistor and the second thinfilm transistor illustrated in FIG. 5 in Embodiment 1 and a liquidcrystal element in which a liquid crystal is held between a firstelectrode and a second electrode. Note that the first electrode of theliquid crystal element corresponds to the pixel electrode, and thesecond electrode of the liquid crystal element corresponds to thecounter electrode 109.

Note that the semiconductor layers of the first thin film transistor andthe second thin film transistor included in the pixel are formed usingoxide semiconductors, as in the switching transistor 107. With the useof oxide semiconductors, off-state current which flows through the firstthin film transistor and the second thin film transistor included in thepixel can be significantly reduced, so that the hold time of a potentialsupplied to the pixel electrode can be extended.

Next, FIG. 6C illustrates a circuit diagram of one of the pixelsincluding pixel electrodes. FIG. 6C focuses on the first thin filmtransistor 501, the second thin film transistor 502, and the switchingtransistor 107. The gate terminal of the first thin film transistor 501is connected to the gate line 111. The first terminal of the first thinfilm transistor 501 is connected to the signal line 112. The secondterminal of the first thin film transistor 501 is connected to thesecond terminal of the second thin film transistor 502. The gateterminal of the second thin film transistor 502 is connected to theselection line 114. The first terminal of the second thin filmtransistor 502 is connected to a pixel electrode 121. The gate terminalof the switching transistor 107 is connected to a terminal 106A in theterminal portion 106. The first terminal of the switching transistor 107is connected to a terminal 106B in the terminal portion 106. The secondterminal of the switching transistor 107 is electrically connected to acounter electrode 122 through the common connection portion 108. Notethat a liquid crystal 123 is held between the pixel electrode 121 andthe counter electrode 122. The pixel electrode 121, the counterelectrode 122, and the liquid crystal 123 are collectively referred toas a liquid crystal element in some cases.

Note that any element can be used as the liquid crystal as long as itcontrols transmission or non-transmission of light by optical modulationaction. The optical modulation action of the liquid crystal may becontrolled by voltage applied to the liquid crystal, arrangement of thepixel electrode and the counter electrode, or the like.

Next, the operation of the switching transistor 107 is described. In aperiod during which a still image is displayed, the switching transistor107 is controlled so as to be off. In that case, in the period duringwhich a still image is displayed, the first thin film transistors 501and the second thin film transistors 502 are off in all the pixels. Inother words, by making opposite electrodes of the liquid crystal 123,i.e., the pixel electrode 121 and the counter electrode 122 be in afloating state, a still image can be displayed without additional supplyof a potential. Further, when the operation of the gate line drivercircuit 104 and the signal line driver circuit 105 is stopped, powerconsumption can be reduced.

Note that in a period during which either a moving image or a partialmoving image is displayed, the switching transistor 107 is preferablycontrolled so as to be on.

Note that the resistivity of the liquid crystal 123 in FIG. 6C isapproximately 1×10¹² to 1×10¹³ Ω·cm. In the period during which a stillimage is displayed, the opposite electrodes of the liquid crystal 123,i.e., the pixel electrode 121 and the counter electrode 122 are made tobe in a floating state by a thin film transistor having significantlylow off-state current, i.e., a high-resistant thin film transistor.Therefore, current flowing through the liquid crystal 123 that isgenerated by voltage applied to opposite ends of the liquid crystal 123can be reduced.

Accordingly, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display devicein which power consumption is reduced and image distortion is suppressedwhen a still image is displayed.

As described above, with the structure described in this embodiment,off-state current can be reduced in a pixel which includes a thin filmtransistor including an oxide semiconductor. Therefore, it is possibleto obtain a liquid crystal display device in which voltage can be heldin a storage capacitor for a longer time and power consumption when astill image is displayed can be reduced.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the structures described inthe other embodiments as appropriate.

Embodiment 3

In this embodiment, structures which are different from the structuresof the driver circuits and the pixel portion in Embodiment 1 aredescribed with reference to drawings.

As in FIG. 3A, FIG. 16 illustrates the display control circuit 1004, thepixel portion 1006, the gate line driver circuit 1007A, and the signalline driver circuit 1007B. The pixel portion 1006 includes the pluralityof pixels 300. The gate line 301 which extends from the gate line drivercircuit 1007 and the signal line 302 which extends from the signal linedriver circuit 1007B are connected to each of the pixels 300.

In addition, the pixel 300 in FIG. 16 includes a thin film transistor1601 and a liquid crystal element 1602. Note that when a semiconductorlayer of the thin film transistor 1601 includes an oxide semiconductoras in Embodiment 1, off-state current can be significantly reduced andthe frequency of supplies of image signals when a still image isdisplayed can be reduced.

FIG. 16 illustrates a structure where the gate line driver circuit 1007Aincludes a decoder circuit 1603, the signal line driver circuit 1007Bincludes a shift register circuit 1604, and an image signal supplied tothe pixel is controlled by an address line from the display controlcircuit 1004 or a control signal (e.g., a clock signal or a start pulse)of the shift register circuit.

Note that any circuit can be used as the shift register circuit 1604 aslong as it sequentially outputs pulses such as a clock signal, aninverted clock signal, and a start pulse SP from an output terminal of afirst stage. For example, a shift register circuit to which a pulseoutput circuit (also referred to as a flip-flop circuit) is cascaded maybe used.

FIG. 16 differs from FIG. 3A in that a selection line is not provided,the number of thin film transistors in the pixel is reduced, and thesignal line driver circuit 1007B includes the shift register circuit1604. Thus, in this embodiment, the differences in FIG. 16 andadvantageous effects of this embodiment that are different from those inFIG. 3A are described in detail.

As in FIG. 3A, in FIG. 16 , a gate line connected to a pixel where adifference is detected by calculation in the comparison circuit 1003 isselected by the decoder circuit 1603 included in the gate line drivercircuit 1007A. Unlike FIG. 3A, in FIG. 16 , the signal line drivercircuit 1007B includes the shift register circuit 1604, and pixels wheredifferences are not detected by calculation in the comparison circuit1003 are also sequentially selected by the shift register circuit 1604included in the signal line driver circuit 1007B. However, in thestructure in FIG. 16 , the selection line is not provided and the numberof thin film transistors in the pixel is reduced; thus, the number ofwirings and the aperture ratio of the pixel can be improved. Further,even in the structure of this embodiment, when a gate line isselectively driven by the decoder circuit 1603 included in the gate linedriver circuit 1007A, power consumption can be reduced.

The structure of this embodiment where the selection line is notprovided and the aperture ratio of the pixel can be improved ispreferable when a high-definition liquid crystal display device ismanufactured. Note that in the structure of this embodiment, selectivedriving per pixel cannot be performed by the signal line driver circuit1007B; however, power consumption can be reduced when the gate linedriver circuit is selectively driven by the decoder circuit 1603included in the gate line driver circuit 1007A. Thus, the structure ofthis embodiment is particularly preferable when a liquid crystal displaydevice in which an image is switched in a row direction is manufactured.

As described above, in this embodiment, when a thin film transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor is used as the thin film transistor1601, off-state current can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible toobtain a liquid crystal display device in which voltage can be held in astorage capacitor for a longer time and power consumption when a stillimage is displayed can be reduced.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the structures described inthe other embodiments as appropriate.

Embodiment 4

In this embodiment, examples of advantageous effects when the liquidcrystal display device described in the above embodiment is used in amonitor (also referred to as a PC monitor) for an electronic computer (apersonal computer) are described.

FIG. 17A illustrates an example of a liquid crystal display device whichincludes a display portion 1702 in a housing 1701 and a window-typedisplay portion 1703 in the display portion 1702. The liquid crystaldisplay device in Embodiment 1 is used as the display portion 1702.

Note that although the window-type display portion 1703 is provided inthe display portion 1702 for purposes of illustration, a differentsymbol such as an icon or an image may be employed.

In FIG. 17B, the window-type display portion 1703 in FIG. 17A is movedfrom a dotted line portion 1704 to a solid line portion 1705. With themovement of the window-type display portion 1703 in FIG. 17B, a partialmoving image is displayed in a period of this movement as described inEmbodiment 1, and a region 1707 illustrated in FIG. 17C is a regionwhere a difference of an image signal is detected by a comparisoncircuit and a region 1708 illustrated in FIG. 17C is a region where thedifference of the image signal is not detected by the comparisoncircuit. Note that the region 1707 can be regarded as a region in whicha moving image is displayed in accordance with the movement of thewindow-type display portion and is referred to as a moving image regionin some cases. The region 1708 is a region in which the window-typedisplay portion does not move and the image signal is not changed and isreferred to as a still image region in some cases.

FIG. 18A schematically illustrates the frequency of rewrites of imagesignals in the moving image region and the still image region in theexamples in FIGS. 17A to 17C every frame period, for example, where thehorizontal axis indicates time. In FIG. 18A, W indicates a period duringwhich an image signal is rewritten, and H indicates a period duringwhich the image signal is held. In addition, a period 1801 is one frameperiod; however, the period 1801 may be a different period.

As is clear from FIG. 18A, in the liquid crystal display device inEmbodiment 1, in the case where differences of image signals between aseries of frames are detected by the comparison circuit, i.e., in thecase of the moving image region, image signals supplied to pixels arerewritten every frame period. Thus, in the moving image region, imagesignals are frequently rewritten. Further, in the liquid crystal displaydevice in Embodiment 1, in the case where differences of image signalsbetween a series of frames are not detected by the comparison circuit,in the case of the still image region, image signals supplied to pixelsare rewritten only in a period during which the image signals areswitched (the period 1801 in FIG. 18A), and the other periods correspondto periods during which the supplied image signals are held.

Note that FIG. 18B illustrates the case where image signals areperiodically rewritten regardless of a moving image region and a stillimage region as in FIG. 18A for comparison. In order to display an imagewhere a moving image region and a still image region are mixed, imagesignals are periodically rewritten in pixels.

As described above, in the still image region and a still image regionin a partial moving image, frequent rewrites of image signals can beeliminated. Rewrites of image signals more than once might causeeyestrain. With a structure where the frequency of rewrites of imagesignals is reduced as described in this embodiment, eyestrain isreduced, which is advantageous.

As described above, in this embodiment, when thin film transistorsincluding oxide semiconductors are provided in pixels, off-state currentcan be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystaldisplay device in which voltage can be held in a storage capacitor for alonger time and power consumption when a still image is displayed can bereduced.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the structures described inthe other embodiments as appropriate.

Embodiment 5

In this embodiment, an example of a thin film transistor which can beapplied to a liquid crystal display device disclosed in thisspecification is described.

One embodiment of a liquid crystal display device of this embodiment anda method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device isdescribed with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7E.

FIGS. 7A to 7E illustrate an example of a cross-sectional structure of aliquid crystal display device. Thin film transistors 410 and 420 inFIGS. 7A to 7E each have a kind of bottom-gate structure called achannel-etched structure and are also referred to as inverted-staggeredthin film transistors. In FIGS. 7A to 7E, the thin film transistor 410is a switching transistor and the thin film transistor 420 is a pixeltransistor.

Although the thin film transistors 410 and 420 are described assingle-gate thin film transistors, multi-gate thin film transistors eachincluding a plurality of channel formation regions can be formed whenneeded.

Steps of forming the thin film transistors 410 and 420 over a substrate400 are described below with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7E.

First, a conductive film is formed over the substrate 400 having aninsulating surface. Then, gate electrode layers 401 and 451 are formedin a first photolithography process. Note that a resist mask may beformed by an inkjet method. When the resist mask is formed by an inkjetmethod, a photomask is not used; thus, manufacturing cost can bereduced.

Although there is no particular limitation on a substrate which can beused as the substrate 400 having an insulating surface, it is necessarythat the substrate have at least heat resistance high enough towithstand heat treatment to be performed later. A glass substrate formedusing barium borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, or the likecan be used

In the case where the temperature of the heat treatment to be performedlater is high, a glass substrate whose strain point is 730° C. or higheris preferably used. For the glass substrate, for example, a glassmaterial such as aluminosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, orbarium borosilicate glass is used.

Note that instead of the glass substrate, a substrate formed using aninsulator, such as a ceramic substrate, a quartz substrate, or asapphire substrate, may be used. Alternatively, crystallized glass orthe like can be used.

An insulating film serving as a base film may be provided between thesubstrate 400 and the gate electrode layers 411 and 421. The base filmhas a function of preventing diffusion of an impurity element from thesubstrate 400, and can be formed to have a single-layer structure or alayered structure including one or more films selected from a siliconnitride film, a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride oxide film, or asilicon oxynitride film.

The gate electrode layers 411 and 421 can be formed to have asingle-layer structure or a layered structure including a metal materialsuch as molybdenum, titanium, chromium, tantalum, tungsten, aluminum,copper, neodymium, or scandium; or an alloy material which contains themetal material as its main component.

As a two-layer structure of the gate electrode layers 411 and 421, forexample, a two-layer structure in which a molybdenum layer is stackedover an aluminum layer, a two-layer structure in which a molybdenumlayer is stacked over a copper layer, a two-layer structure in which atitanium nitride layer or a tantalum nitride layer is stacked over acopper layer, or a two-layer structure in which a titanium nitride layerand a molybdenum layer are stacked is preferable. As a three-layerstructure, a stack of a tungsten layer or a tungsten nitride layer, analloy of aluminum and silicon or an alloy of aluminum and titanium, anda titanium nitride layer or a titanium layer is preferable.

Then, a gate insulating layer 402 is formed over the gate electrodelayers 411 and 421.

The gate insulating layer 402 can be formed to have a single-layerstructure or a layered structure including a silicon oxide layer, asilicon nitride layer, a silicon oxynitride layer, a silicon nitrideoxide layer, or an aluminum oxide layer by plasma-enhanced CVD,sputtering, or the like. For example, a silicon oxynitride layer may beformed using SiH₄, oxygen, and nitrogen as a deposition gas byplasma-enhanced CVD. Alternatively, a high-k material such as hafniumoxide (HfO_(x)) or tantalum oxide (TaO_(x)) can be used for the gateinsulating layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer 402 is 100to 500 nm. In the case where the gate insulating layer 402 is formed tohave a layered structure, a first gate insulating layer having athickness of 50 to 200 nm and a second gate insulating layer having athickness of 5 to 300 nm are stacked.

In this embodiment, as the gate insulating layer 402, a siliconoxynitride layer is formed to a thickness of 100 nm or less byplasma-enhanced CVD.

Further, as the gate insulating layer 402, a silicon oxynitride layermay be formed using a high-density plasma apparatus. Here, ahigh-density plasma apparatus refers to an apparatus which can realize aplasma density of 1×10¹¹/cm³ or higher. For example, plasma is generatedby application of a microwave power of 3 to 6 kW so that an insulatinglayer is formed.

A monosilane gas (SiH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and a rare gas areintroduced into a chamber as a source gas, and high-density plasma isgenerated at a pressure of 10 to 30 Pa so that an insulating layer isformed over a substrate having an insulating surface (e.g., a glasssubstrate). After that, the supply of a monosilane gas is stopped, andnitrous oxide (N₂O) and a rare gas are introduced without exposure tothe air, so that plasma treatment may be performed on a surface of theinsulating layer. The plasma treatment performed on the surface of theinsulating layer by introduction of at least nitrous oxide (N₂O) and arare gas is performed after the insulating layer is formed. Theinsulating layer formed through the above process is an insulating layerwhose reliability can be secured to some extent even though it has smallthickness, for example, a thickness less than 100 nm.

When the gate insulating layer 402 is formed, the flow ratio of themonosilane gas (SiH₄) to nitrous oxide (N₂O) which are introduced intothe chamber is in the range of 1:10 to 1:200. In addition, as the raregas which is introduced into the chamber, helium, argon, krypton, xenon,or the like can be used. In particular, argon, which is inexpensive, ispreferably used.

In addition, since the insulating layer formed using the high-densityplasma apparatus can have a uniform thickness, the insulating layer hasexcellent step coverage. Further, as for the insulating layer formedusing the high-density plasma apparatus, the thickness of a thin filmcan be controlled precisely.

The film quality of the insulating layer formed through the aboveprocess is greatly different from that of an insulating layer formedusing a conventional parallel plate PCVD apparatus. The etching rate ofthe insulating layer formed through the above process is lower than thatof the insulating layer formed using the conventional parallel platePCVD apparatus by 10% or more or 20% or more in the case where theetching rates with the same etchant are compared to each other. Thus, itcan be said that the insulating layer formed using the high-densityplasma apparatus is a dense layer.

An oxide semiconductor (a highly purified oxide semiconductor) which ismade to be intrinsic (i-type) or substantially intrinsic in a later stepis highly sensitive to an interface state and interface charge; thus, aninterface between the oxide semiconductor and the gate insulating layeris important. Thus, the gate insulating layer (GI) which is in contactwith the highly purified oxide semiconductor needs high quality.Therefore, high-density plasma-enhanced CVD using microwaves (2.45 GHz)is preferable because a dense high-quality insulating layer having highwithstand voltage can be formed. This is because when the highlypurified oxide semiconductor is closely in contact with the high-qualitygate insulating layer, the interface state can be reduced and interfaceproperties can be favorable. It is important that the gate insulatinglayer have lower interface state density with an oxide semiconductor anda favorable interface as well as having favorable film quality as a gateinsulating layer.

Then, an oxide semiconductor film 430 is formed to a thickness of 2 to200 nm over the gate insulating layer 402. The thickness of the oxidesemiconductor film 430 is preferably 50 nm or less in order that theoxide semiconductor film be amorphous even when heat treatment fordehydration or dehydrogenation is performed after the oxidesemiconductor film 430 is formed. When the thickness of the oxidesemiconductor film is made small, crystallization can be suppressed whenheat treatment is performed after the oxide semiconductor layer isformed.

Note that before the oxide semiconductor film 430 is formed bysputtering, dust on a surface of the gate insulating layer 402 ispreferably removed by reverse sputtering in which an argon gas isintroduced and plasma is generated. The reverse sputtering refers to amethod in which, without application of voltage to a target side, an RFpower source is used for application of voltage to a substrate side inan argon atmosphere and plasma is generated in the vicinity of thesubstrate so that a substrate surface is modified. Note that nitrogen,helium, or the like may be used instead of the argon atmosphere.

As the oxide semiconductor film 430, an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor film, an In—Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, anIn—Sn—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, an In—Al—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor film, a Sn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, anAl—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, a Sn—Al—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor film, an In—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, aSn—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film, an Al—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor film, an In—O-based oxide semiconductor film, a Sn—O-basedoxide semiconductor film, or a Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor film isused. In this embodiment, the oxide semiconductor film 430 is depositedby sputtering with the use of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based metal oxide target. Across-sectional view at this stage corresponds to FIG. 7C.Alternatively, the oxide semiconductor film 430 can be deposited bysputtering in a rare gas (typically argon) atmosphere, an oxygenatmosphere, or an atmosphere including a rare gas (typically argon) andoxygen. In addition, in the case where sputtering is used, it ispreferable to deposit the oxide semiconductor film 430 with the use of atarget containing SiO₂ at 2 to 10 wt % such that Si, which inhibitscrystallization, is contained in the oxide semiconductor film 430 inorder to prevent an oxide semiconductor from being crystallized in heattreatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation which is performed in alater step.

Here, deposition is performed using a metal oxide target containing In,Ga, and Zn (In₂O₃:Ga₂O₃:ZnO=1:1:1 [mol %] and In:Ga:Zn=1:1:0.5 [at. %]).The deposition condition is set as follows: the distance between thesubstrate and the target is 100 mm; the pressure is 0.2 Pa; the directcurrent (DC) power is 0.5 kW; and the atmosphere is an atmospherecontaining argon and oxygen (argon:oxygen=30 sccm:20 sccm and the flowrate ratio of oxygen is 40%). Note that it is preferable that pulseddirect-current (DC) power be used because powdered substances (alsoreferred to as particles or dust) generated in deposition can be reducedand the film thickness can be uniform. The thickness of anIn—Ga—Zn—O-based film is 5 to 200 nm. In this embodiment, as the oxidesemiconductor film, a 20-nm-thick In—Ga—Zn—O-based film is deposited bysputtering with the use of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based metal oxide target.Alternatively, as the metal oxide target containing In, Ga, and Zn, atarget having a composition ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:1:1 (at. %) or a targethaving a composition ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:1:2 (at. %) can be used.

Examples of sputtering include RF sputtering in which a high-frequencypower source is used as a sputtering power source, DC sputtering, andpulsed DC sputtering in which a bias is applied in a pulsed manner. RFsputtering is mainly used in the case where an insulating film isdeposited, and DC sputtering is mainly used in the case where a metalfilm is deposited.

In addition, there is also a multi-source sputtering apparatus in whicha plurality of targets of different materials can be set. With themulti-source sputtering apparatus, films of different materials can bedeposited to be stacked in the same chamber, or a film of plural kindsof materials can be deposited by electric discharge at the same time inthe same chamber.

In addition, there are a sputtering apparatus provided with a magnetsystem inside the chamber and used for magnetron sputtering, and asputtering apparatus used for ECR sputtering in which plasma generatedwith the use of microwaves is used without using glow discharge.

Further, as a deposition method using sputtering, reactive sputtering inwhich a target substance and a sputtering gas component are chemicallyreacted with each other during deposition to form a thin compound filmthereof, or bias sputtering in which voltage is also applied to asubstrate during deposition can be used.

Next, the oxide semiconductor film 430 is processed into anisland-shaped oxide semiconductor layer in a second photolithographyprocess. A resist mask used for forming the island-shaped oxidesemiconductor layer may be formed by an inkjet method. When the resistmask is formed by an inkjet method, a photomask is not used; thus,manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Then, the oxide semiconductor layer is dehydrated or dehydrogenated. Thetemperature of first heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenationis higher than or equal to 400° C. and lower than or equal to 750° C.,preferably higher than or equal to 400° C. and lower than the strainpoint of the substrate. Here, after the substrate is put in an electricfurnace which is a kind of heat treatment apparatus and heat treatmentis performed on the oxide semiconductor layer at 450° C. for one hour ina nitrogen atmosphere, water and hydrogen are prevented from being mixedinto the oxide semiconductor layer by preventing the substrate frombeing exposed to the air; thus, oxide semiconductor layers 431 and 432are obtained (see FIG. 7B).

Note that the heat treatment apparatus is not limited to an electricfurnace, and may be provided with a device for heating an object to beprocessed by thermal conduction or thermal radiation from a heater suchas a resistance heater. For example, an RTA (rapid thermal annealing)apparatus such as a GRTA (gas rapid thermal annealing) apparatus or anLRTA (lamp rapid thermal annealing) apparatus can be used. An LRTAapparatus is an apparatus for heating an object to be processed byradiation of light (an electromagnetic wave) emitted from a lamp such asa halogen lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon arc lamp, a carbon arclamp, a high pressure sodium lamp, or a high pressure mercury lamp. AGRTA apparatus is an apparatus with which heat treatment is performedusing a high-temperature gas. As the gas, an inert gas which does notreact with an object to be processed by heat treatment, such as nitrogenor a rare gas such as argon, is used.

For example, as the first heat treatment, GRTA may be performed asfollows. The substrate is transferred and put in an inert gas heated ata high temperature of 650 to 700° C., is heated for several minutes, andis transferred and taken out of the inert gas heated at the hightemperature. GRTA enables high-temperature heat treatment in a shorttime.

Note that in the first heat treatment, it is preferable that water,hydrogen, and the like be not contained in nitrogen or a rare gas suchas helium, neon, or argon. Further, the purity of nitrogen or a rare gassuch as helium, neon, or argon which is introduced into the heattreatment apparatus is preferably 6N (99.9999%) or higher, morepreferably 7N (99.99999%) or higher (that is, the impurity concentrationis 1 ppm or lower, preferably 0.1 ppm or lower).

Further, the oxide semiconductor layer is crystallized and the crystalstructure of the oxide semiconductor layer is changed into amicrocrystalline structure or a polycrystalline structure depending onthe condition of the first heat treatment or the material of the oxidesemiconductor layer in some cases. For example, the oxide semiconductorlayer might be crystallized to be a microcrystalline oxide semiconductorlayer having a degree of crystallinity of 90% or more, or 80% or more.Further, depending on the condition of the first heat treatment or thematerial of the oxide semiconductor layer, the oxide semiconductor layermight become an amorphous oxide semiconductor layer containing nocrystalline component. The oxide semiconductor layer might become anoxide semiconductor layer in which a microcrystalline portion (with agrain diameter of 1 to 20 nm, typically 2 to 4 nm) is mixed into anamorphous oxide semiconductor. In the case where high-temperature heattreatment is performed using RTA (e.g., GRTA or LRTA), a needle-likecrystal in a longitudinal direction (in a film-thickness direction)might be generated on the surface side of the oxide semiconductor layer.

In addition, the first heat treatment for the oxide semiconductor layercan be performed on the oxide semiconductor film 430 before beingprocessed into the island-shaped oxide semiconductor layer. In thatcase, the substrate is taken out from the heat apparatus after the firstheat treatment, and then a photolithography process is performed.

The heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation of the oxidesemiconductor layer may be performed at any of the following timings:after the oxide semiconductor layer is formed; after a source electrodeand a drain electrode are formed over the oxide semiconductor layer; andafter a protective insulating film is formed over the source electrodeand the drain electrode.

Further, in the case where an opening portion is formed in the gateinsulating layer 402, the formation of the opening portion may beperformed before or after the oxide semiconductor film 430 is dehydratedor dehydrogenated.

Note that the etching of the oxide semiconductor film here is notlimited to wet etching, and dry etching may be employed.

As an etching gas used for dry etching, a gas containing chlorine (achlorine-based gas such as chlorine (Cl₂), boron trichloride (BCl₃),silicon tetrachloride (SiCl₄), or carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)) ispreferably used.

Alternatively, a gas containing fluorine (a fluorine-based gas such ascarbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), nitrogentrifluoride (NF₃), or trifluoromethane (CHF₃)); hydrogen bromide (HBr);oxygen (O₂); any of these gases to which a rare gas such as helium (He)or argon (Ar) is added; or the like can be used.

As the dry etching, parallel plate RIE (reactive ion etching) or ICP(inductively coupled plasma) etching can be used. In order to etch thefilm to have a desired shape, the etching conditions (the amount ofelectric power applied to a coil-shaped electrode, the amount ofelectric power applied to an electrode on a substrate side, thetemperature of the electrode on the substrate side, and the like) areadjusted as appropriate.

As an etchant used for wet etching, a solution obtained by mixture ofphosphoric acid, acetic acid, and nitric acid, an ammonia hydrogenperoxide mixture (a hydrogen peroxide solution at 31 wt %:ammonia waterat 28 wt %:water=5:2:2), or the like can be used. Alternatively, ITO-07N(produced by KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) may be used.

The etchant used in the wet etching is removed together with the etchedmaterial by cleaning. Waste liquid of the etchant including the removedmaterial may be purified and the material contained in the waste liquidmay be reused. When a material such as indium contained in the oxidesemiconductor layer is collected from the waste liquid after the etchingand reused, the resources can be efficiently used and cost can bereduced.

In order to etch the oxide semiconductor film to have a desired shape,the etching conditions (an etchant, etching time, temperature, and thelike) are adjusted as appropriate depending on the material.

Next, a metal conductive film is formed over the gate insulating layer402 and the oxide semiconductor layers 431 and 432. The metal conductivefilm may be formed by sputtering or vacuum evaporation. As the materialof the metal conductive film, there are an element selected from Al, Cr,Cu, Ta, Ti, Mo, or W, an alloy containing the element, an alloy filmcontaining some of the elements in combination, and the like.Alternatively, one or more materials selected from manganese, magnesium,zirconium, beryllium, and thorium may be used. Further, the metalconductive film may have a single-layer structure or a layered structureof two or more layers. For example, a single-layer structure of analuminum film containing silicon, a two-layer structure in which atitanium film is stacked over an aluminum film, a three-layer structurein which a titanium film, an aluminum film, and a titanium film arestacked in that order, and the like can be given. Alternatively, a film,an alloy film, or a nitride film which contains Al and one or moreelements selected from titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W),molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), neodymium (Nd), or scandium (Sc) may beused.

When heat treatment is performed after the formation of the metalconductive film, it is preferable that the metal conductive film haveheat resistance high enough to withstand the heat treatment.

A resist mask is formed over the metal conductive film in a thirdphotolithography process; a source electrode layer 415 a, a drainelectrode layer 415 b, a source electrode layer 425 a, and a drainelectrode layer 425 b are formed by selective etching; then, the resistmask is removed (see FIG. 7C).

Note that each material and etching conditions are adjusted asappropriate so that the oxide semiconductor layers 431 and 432 are notremoved when the metal conductive film is etched.

In this embodiment, a Ti film is used as the metal conductive film, anIn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide is used for the oxide semiconductor layers 431and 432, and an ammonia hydrogen peroxide solution (a mixture ofammonia, water, and a hydrogen peroxide solution) is used as an etchant.

Note that in the third photolithography process, only some of the oxidesemiconductor layers 431 and 432 are etched so that oxide semiconductorlayers having grooves (depressions) are formed in some cases. The resistmask used for forming the source electrode layer 415 a, the drainelectrode layer 415 b, the source electrode layer 425 a, and the drainelectrode layer 425 b may be formed by an inkjet method. When the resistmask is formed by an inkjet method, a photomask is not used; thus,manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In order to reduce the number of photomasks used in the photolithographyprocesses and to reduce the number of processes, an etching process maybe performed using a multi-tone mask which is an exposure mask throughwhich light is transmitted to have a plurality of intensities. A resistmask formed using a multi-tone mask has a plurality of thicknesses andcan be changed in shape by etching; therefore, the resist mask can beused in a plurality of etching processes for processing films intodifferent patterns. Therefore, a resist mask corresponding to at leasttwo or more kinds of different patterns can be formed by one multi-tonemask. Thus, the number of exposure masks and the number of correspondingphotolithography processes can be reduced, so that the process can besimplified.

Next, plasma treatment is performed using a gas such as N₂O, N₂, or Ar.With this plasma treatment, absorbed water and the like which attach toa surface of the oxide semiconductor layer exposed are removed.Alternatively, plasma treatment may be performed using a mixture gas ofoxygen and argon.

After the plasma treatment, an oxide insulating layer 416 which servesas a protective insulating film and is in contact with part of the oxidesemiconductor layer is formed without exposure to the air.

The oxide insulating layer 416 can be formed to have a thickness of atleast 1 nm or more by a method by which an impurity such as water orhydrogen is not mixed into the oxide insulating layer 416, such assputtering, as appropriate. When hydrogen is contained in the oxideinsulating layer 416, entry of hydrogen to the oxide semiconductorlayers or abstraction of oxygen in the oxide semiconductor layers byhydrogen is caused, so backchannels of the oxide semiconductor layershave lower resistance (have n-type conductivity) and parasitic channelsare formed. Therefore, it is important that the amount of hydrogen usedin deposition is as small as possible in order that the oxide insulatinglayer 416 contain as little hydrogen as possible.

In this embodiment, a 200-nm-thick silicon oxide film is deposited asthe oxide insulating layer 416 by sputtering. The substrate temperatureat the time of deposition is in the range of from room temperature to300° C., and 100° C. in this embodiment. The silicon oxide film can bedeposited by sputtering in a rare gas (typically argon) atmosphere, anoxygen atmosphere, or an atmosphere including a rare gas (typicallyargon) and oxygen. Further, a silicon oxide target or a silicon targetcan be used as a target. For example, silicon oxide can be deposited byusing a silicon target in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen bysputtering. The oxide insulating layer 416 which is formed in contactwith the oxide semiconductor layers whose resistance is lowered isformed using an inorganic insulating film which does not includeimpurity such as moisture, a hydrogen ion, or OH⁻ and blocks entry ofsuch an impurity from the outside, typically, a silicon oxide film, asilicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, or an aluminumoxynitride film.

Next, second heat treatment (preferably at 200 to 400° C., for example,250 to 350° C.) is performed in an inert gas atmosphere or an oxygen gasatmosphere. For example, the second heat treatment is performed at 250°C. for one hour in a nitrogen atmosphere. Through the second heattreatment, some of the oxide semiconductor layers (channel formationregions) are heated while being in contact with the oxide insulatinglayer 416.

Through the above steps, after the heat treatment for dehydration ordehydrogenation is performed on the deposited oxide semiconductor filmin order to lower the resistance of the oxide semiconductor film, partof the oxide semiconductor film is selectively made to be in an oxygenexcess state. Accordingly, a channel formation region 413 overlappingwith the gate electrode layer 411 becomes intrinsic, and ahigh-resistant source region 414 a which is in contact with the sourceelectrode layer 415 a and a high-resistant drain region 414 b which isin contact with the drain electrode layer 415 b are formed in aself-aligning manner. Through the above steps, the thin film transistor410 is formed. Similarly, a channel formation region 423 overlappingwith the gate electrode layer 421 becomes intrinsic, and ahigh-resistant source region 424 a which is in contact with the sourceelectrode layer 425 a and a high-resistant drain region 424 b which isin contact with the drain electrode layer 425 b are formed in aself-aligning manner. Through the above steps, the thin film transistor420 is formed.

In a bias temperature test (BT test) at 85° C. and 2×10⁶ V/cm for 12hours, if an impurity has been added to an oxide semiconductor, the bondbetween the impurity and the main component of the oxide semiconductoris broken by a high electric field (B: bias) and high temperature (T:temperature), so that a generated dangling bond induces a shift in thethreshold voltage (V_(th)). As a countermeasure against this, theimpurity in the oxide semiconductor, especially, hydrogen, water, or thelike is removed as much as possible so that a high-quality denseinsulating film having high withstand voltage is formed by thehigh-density plasma-enhanced CVD and the properties of an interface withthe oxide semiconductor are improved. Accordingly, it is possible toobtain a thin film transistor which is stable even when the BT test isperformed.

Further, heat treatment may be performed at 100 to 200° C. for 1 to 30hours in an air atmosphere. In this embodiment, the heat treatment isperformed at 150° C. for 10 hours. This heat treatment may be performedat a fixed heating temperature. Alternatively, the following change inthe heating temperature may be conducted plural times repeatedly: theheating temperature is increased from room temperature to a temperatureof 100 to 200° C. and then decreased to room temperature. Further, thisheat treatment may be performed under a reduced pressure before theformation of the oxide insulating layer. When the heat treatment isperformed under a reduced pressure, the heating time can be shortened.Through this heat treatment, hydrogen is introduced from the oxidesemiconductor layer to the oxide insulating layer; thus, a normally-offthin film transistor can be obtained. Thus, the reliability of a liquidcrystal display device can be improved.

Note that by the formation of the high-resistant drain regions 414 b and424 b in the oxide semiconductor layers overlapping with the drainelectrode layers 415 b and 425 b (and the source electrode layers 415 aand 425 a), reliability of the thin film transistors can be improved.Specifically, by the formation of the high-resistant drain regions 414 band 424 b, a structure can be obtained in which conductivity can bevaried stepwise from the drain electrode layers 415 b and 425 b to thehigh-resistant drain regions 414 b and 424 b and the channel formationregions 413 and 423. Therefore, in the case where operation is performedwith the drain electrode layers 415 b and 425 b connected to a wiringfor supplying a high power supply potential VDD, the high-resistantdrain regions serve as buffers and a high electric field is not appliedlocally even if the high electric field is applied between the gateelectrode layer 411 and the drain electrode layer 415 b and between thegate electrode layer 421 and the drain electrode layer 425 b; thus, thewithstand voltage of the thin film transistors can be increased.

Further, the high-resistant source region and the high-resistant drainregion in the oxide semiconductor layer are formed in the entire regionin a thickness direction in the case where the oxide semiconductor layeris as thin as 15 nm or less. In the case where the oxide semiconductorlayer is as thick as 30 to 50 nm, the high-resistant source region andthe high-resistant drain region where parts of the oxide semiconductorlayer, i.e., regions which are in contact with the source electrodelayer and the drain electrode layer, and the vicinity thereof have lowerresistance are formed, and a region of the oxide semiconductor layerthat is near the gate insulating layer can be intrinsic.

A protective insulating layer may be formed over the oxide insulatinglayer 416. For example, a silicon nitride film is formed by RFsputtering. Since RF sputtering has high productivity, it is preferablyused as a deposition method of the protective insulating layer. Theprotective insulating layer is formed using an inorganic insulating filmwhich does not contain an impurity such as moisture, a hydrogen ion, andOH⁻ and blocks entry of such an impurity from the outside, typically asilicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, a silicon nitride oxidefilm, or an aluminum oxynitride film. In this embodiment, as theprotective insulating layer, a protective insulating layer 403 is formedusing a silicon nitride film (see FIG. 7D).

A planarization insulating layer for planarization may be provided overthe protective insulating layer 403. As illustrated in FIG. 7E, aplanarization insulating layer 404 is formed over the protectiveinsulating layer 403 in the thin film transistor 420.

The planarization insulating layer 404 can be formed using aheat-resistant organic material such as polyimide, acrylic,benzocyclobutene, polyamide, or epoxy. Other than such organicmaterials, it is possible to use a low-dielectric constant material (alow-k material), a siloxane-based resin, PSG (phosphosilicate glass),BPSG (borophosphosilicate glass), or the like. Note that theplanarization insulating layer 44 may be formed by stacking a pluralityof insulating films formed using these materials.

Note that a siloxane-based resin corresponds to a resin including aSi—O—Si bond formed using a siloxane-based material as a startingmaterial. The siloxane-based resin may include an organic group (e.g.,an alkyl group or an aryl group) as a substituent. Further, the organicgroup may include a fluoro group.

There is no particular limitation on the method for forming theplanarization insulating layer 404. The planarization insulating layer404 can be formed, depending on the material, by a method such assputtering, an SOG method, a spin coating method, a dipping method, aspray coating method, or a droplet discharge method (e.g., an inkjetmethod, screen printing, or offset printing), or a tool such as a doctorknife, a roll coater, a curtain coater, or a knife coater.

Next, a resist mask is formed in a fourth photolithography process andsome of the oxide insulating layer 416, the protective insulating layer403, and the planarization insulating layer 404 are removed by selectiveetching, so that an opening which reaches the drain electrode layer 425b is formed.

Then, a light-transmitting conductive film is formed. Thelight-transmitting conductive film is formed using indium oxide (In₂O₃),an alloy of indium oxide and tin oxide (In₂O₃—SnO₂, abbreviated as ITO),or the like by sputtering, vacuum evaporation, or the like.Alternatively, the light-transmitting conductive film may be formedusing an Al—Zn—O-based film containing nitrogen, that is, anAl—Zn—O—N-based film, a Zn—O-based film containing nitrogen, or aSn—Zn—O-based film containing nitrogen. Note that the composition ratio(at. %) of zinc in the Al—Zn—O—N-based film is less than or equal to 47at. % and is higher than that of aluminum in the film; the compositionratio (at. %) of aluminum in the film is higher than that of nitrogen inthe film. Such a material is etched with a hydrochloric acid-basedsolution. However, since a residue is easily generated particularly inetching ITO, an alloy of indium oxide and zinc oxide (In₂O₃—ZnO) may beused in order to improve etching processability.

Note that the unit of the composition ratio in the light-transmittingconductive film is atomic percent (at. %), and the composition ratio isevaluated by analysis using an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer(EPMA).

Next, a resist mask is formed in a fifth photolithography process;unnecessary portions of the light-transmitting conductive film areremoved by etching so that a pixel electrode 427 is formed; and theresist mask is removed (see FIG. 7E).

In this embodiment, the step of forming the opening in the gateinsulating layer is performed in the same photolithography process asthe oxide insulating layer and the protective insulating layer; however,the step of forming the opening in the gate insulating layer may beperformed in a different step. In this case, the photography processcorresponds to a sixth step.

With a combination of a liquid crystal display device including the thinfilm transistor having the oxide semiconductor layer described in thisembodiment and the structure described in Embodiment 1, powerconsumption can be reduced and image distortion can be suppressed when astill image is displayed.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments asappropriate.

Embodiment 6

In this embodiment, another example of a thin film transistor which canbe applied to a liquid crystal display device disclosed in thisspecification is described.

One embodiment of a liquid crystal display device of this embodiment anda method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device isdescribed with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8E.

Although thin film transistors 240 and 260 are described as single-gatethin film transistors, multi-gate thin film transistors each including aplurality of channel formation regions can be formed when needed.

Steps of forming the thin film transistors 240 and 260 over a substrate200 are described below with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8E.

First, a conductive film is formed over the substrate 200 having aninsulating surface. Then, gate electrode layers 241 and 261 are formedin a first photolithography process. In this embodiment, as the gateelectrode layers 241 and 261, a 150-nm-thick tungsten film is formed bysputtering.

Then, a gate insulating layer 292 is formed over the gate electrodelayers 241 and 261. In this embodiment, as the gate insulating layer292, a silicon oxynitride layer is formed to a thickness of 100 nm orless by plasma-enhanced CVD.

Next, a metal conductive film is formed over the gate insulating layer292; a resist mask is formed over the metal conductive film in a secondphotolithography process; source electrode layers 245 a and 265 a anddrain electrode layers 245 b and 265 b are formed by selective etched;then, the resist mask is removed (see FIG. 8A).

Then, an oxide semiconductor film 295 is formed (see FIG. 8B). In thisembodiment, the oxide semiconductor film 295 is formed by sputteringwith the use of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based metal oxide target. The oxidesemiconductor film 295 is processed into an island-shaped oxidesemiconductor layer in a third photolithography process.

Then, the oxide semiconductor layer is dehydrated or dehydrogenated. Thetemperature of first heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenationis higher than or equal to 400° C. and lower than or equal to 750° C.,preferably higher than or equal to 400° C. and lower than the strainpoint of the substrate. Here, after the substrate is put in an electricfurnace which is a kind of heat treatment apparatus and heat treatmentis performed on the oxide semiconductor layer at 450° C. for one hour ina nitrogen atmosphere, water and hydrogen are prevented from being mixedinto the oxide semiconductor layer by preventing the substrate frombeing exposed to the air; thus, oxide semiconductor layers 296 and 297are obtained (see FIG. 8C).

For example, as the first heat treatment, GRTA may be performed asfollows. The substrate is transferred and put in an inert gas heated ata high temperature of 650 to 700° C., is heated for several minutes, andis transferred and taken out of the inert gas heated at the hightemperature. GRTA enables high-temperature heat treatment in a shorttime.

An oxide insulating layer 246 which serves as a protective insulatingfilm formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layers 296 and 297is formed.

The oxide insulating layer 246 can be formed to have a thickness of atleast 1 nm or more by a method by which an impurity such as water orhydrogen is not mixed into the oxide insulating layer 246, such assputtering, as appropriate. When hydrogen is contained in the oxideinsulating layer 246, entry of hydrogen to the oxide semiconductorlayers or abstraction of oxygen in the oxide semiconductor layers byhydrogen is caused, so backchannels of the oxide semiconductor layershave lower resistance (have n-type conductivity) and parasitic channelsare formed. Therefore, it is important that the amount of hydrogen usedin deposition is as small as possible in order that the oxide insulatinglayer 246 contain as little hydrogen as possible.

In this embodiment, a 200-nm-thick silicon oxide film is deposited asthe oxide insulating layer 246 by sputtering. The substrate temperatureat the time of deposition is in the range of from room temperature to300° C., and 100° C. in this embodiment. The silicon oxide film can bedeposited by sputtering in a rare gas (typically argon) atmosphere, anoxygen atmosphere, or an atmosphere including a rare gas (typicallyargon) and oxygen. Further, a silicon oxide target or a silicon targetcan be used as a target. For example, silicon oxide can be deposited byusing a silicon target in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen bysputtering. The oxide insulating layer 246 which is formed in contactwith the oxide semiconductor layers whose resistance is lowered isformed using an inorganic insulating film which does not includeimpurity such as moisture, a hydrogen ion, or OH⁻ and blocks entry ofsuch an impurity from the outside, typically, a silicon oxide film, asilicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, or an aluminumoxynitride film.

Next, second heat treatment (preferably at 200 to 400° C., for example,250 to 350° C.) is performed in an inert gas atmosphere or an oxygen gasatmosphere. For example, the second heat treatment is performed at 250°C. for one hour in a nitrogen atmosphere. Through the second heattreatment, some of the oxide semiconductor layers (channel formationregions) are heated while being in contact with the oxide insulatinglayer 246.

Through the above steps, after the heat treatment for dehydration ordehydrogenation is performed on the deposited oxide semiconductor filmin order to lower the resistance of the oxide semiconductor film, theoxide semiconductor film is made to be in an oxygen excess state.Accordingly, intrinsic (i-type) oxide semiconductor layers 242 and 262are formed. Through the above steps, the thin film transistors 240 and260 are formed.

Further, heat treatment may be performed at 100 to 200° C. for 1 to 30hours in an air atmosphere. In this embodiment, the heat treatment isperformed at 150° C. for 10 hours. This heat treatment may be performedat a fixed heating temperature. Alternatively, the following change inthe heating temperature may be conducted plural times repeatedly: theheating temperature is increased from room temperature to a temperatureof 100 to 200° C. and then decreased to room temperature. Further, thisheat treatment may be performed under a reduced pressure before theformation of the oxide insulating layer. When the heat treatment isperformed under a reduced pressure, the heating time can be shortened.Through this heat treatment, hydrogen is introduced from the oxidesemiconductor layer to the oxide insulating layer; thus, a normally-offthin film transistor can be obtained. Thus, the reliability of a liquidcrystal display device can be improved.

A protective insulating layer may be formed over the oxide insulatinglayer 246. For example, a silicon nitride film is formed by RFsputtering. In this embodiment, as the protective insulating layer, aprotective insulating layer 293 is formed using a silicon nitride film(see FIG. 8D).

A planarization insulating layer for planarization may be provided overthe protective insulating layer 293. In this embodiment, as illustratedin FIG. 8E, a planarization insulating layer 294 is formed over theprotective insulating layer 293 in the thin film transistor 260.

Next, a resist mask is formed in a fourth photolithography process andsome of the planarization insulating layer 294, the protectiveinsulating layer 293, and the oxide insulating layer 246 are removed byselective etching, so that an opening which reaches the drain electrodelayer 265 b is formed.

Next, a light-transmitting conductive film is formed; a resist mask isformed in a fifth photolithography process; unnecessary portions of thelight-transmitting conductive film are removed by etching so that apixel electrode 267 is formed; and the resist mask is removed (see FIG.8E).

In this embodiment, the step of forming the opening in the gateinsulating layer is performed in the same photolithography process asthe oxide insulating layer and the protective insulating layer; however,the step of forming the opening in the gate insulating layer may beperformed in a different step. In this case, the photography processcorresponds to a sixth step.

With a combination of a liquid crystal display device including the thinfilm transistor having the oxide semiconductor layer described in thisembodiment and the structure described in Embodiment 1, powerconsumption can be reduced in displaying a still image.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments asappropriate.

Embodiment 7

In this embodiment, an example of a thin film transistor which can beapplied to a liquid crystal display device disclosed in thisspecification is described.

In this embodiment, an example of a thin film transistor whosemanufacturing process is partly different from that of Embodiment 5 isdescribed with reference to FIG. 9 . Since FIG. 9 is the same as FIGS.7A to 7E except for part of the process, the same portions are denotedby the same reference numerals and detailed description of the sameportions is omitted.

Gate electrode layers 471 and 481 are formed over the substrate 400 andthe gate insulating layer 402 is stacked thereover.

Next, an oxide semiconductor film is formed and processed into anisland-shaped oxide semiconductor layer in a photolithography process.

Then, the oxide semiconductor layer is dehydrated or dehydrogenated. Thetemperature of first heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenationis 400 to 750° C., preferably 425 to 750° C. Note that in the case wherethe temperature of the first heat treatment is 425° C. or higher, theheat treatment time may be one hour or less. In the case where thetemperature of the first heat treatment is lower than 425° C., the heattreatment time is longer than one hour. Here, after the substrate is putin an electric furnace which is a kind of heat treatment apparatus andthe oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to heat treatment in anitrogen atmosphere, water or hydrogen is prevented from being mixedinto the oxide semiconductor layer by preventing the substrate frombeing exposed to the air; thus, the oxide semiconductor layer isobtained. After that, a high-purity oxygen gas, a high-purity N₂O gas,or ultra-dry air (having a dew point of −40° C. or lower, preferably−60° C. or lower) is introduced into the same furnace and cooling isperformed. It is preferable that water, hydrogen, or the like be notcontained in the oxygen gas or the N₂O gas. Alternatively, the purity ofthe oxygen gas or the N₂O gas which is introduced into the heattreatment apparatus is preferably 6N (99.9999%) or higher, morepreferably 7N (99.99999%) or higher (that is, the impurity concentrationin the oxygen gas or the N₂O gas is 1 ppm or lower, preferably 0.1 ppmor lower).

Note that the heat treatment apparatus is not limited to an electricfurnace. For example, an RTA (rapid thermal annealing) apparatus such asa GRTA (gas rapid thermal annealing) apparatus or an LRTA (lamp rapidthermal annealing) apparatus can be used. An LRTA apparatus is anapparatus for heating an object to be processed by radiation of light(an electromagnetic wave) emitted from a lamp such as a halogen lamp, ametal halide lamp, a xenon arc lamp, a carbon arc lamp, a high pressuresodium lamp, or a high pressure mercury lamp. In addition, the LRTAapparatus may be provided with not only a lamp but also a device forheating an object to be processed by thermal conduction or thermalradiation from a heater such as a resistance heater. GRTA is a methodfor performing heat treatment with the use of a high-temperature gas. Asthe gas, an inert gas which does not react with an object to beprocessed by heat treatment, such as nitrogen or a rare gas such asargon, is used. Heat treatment may be performed at 600 to 750° C. forseveral minutes by RTA.

In addition, after the first heat treatment for dehydration ordehydrogenation, heat treatment may be performed at 200 to 400° C.,preferably 200 to 300° C. in an oxygen gas atmosphere or an N₂O gasatmosphere.

Further, the first heat treatment for the oxide semiconductor layer canbe performed on the oxide semiconductor film before being processed intothe island-shaped oxide semiconductor layer. In that case, the substrateis taken out from the heat apparatus after the first heat treatment, andthen a photolithography process is performed.

The entire oxide semiconductor film is made to be in an oxygen excessstate through the above steps; thus, the oxide semiconductor film hashigher resistance, that is, the oxide semiconductor film becomesintrinsic. Accordingly, oxide semiconductor layers 472 and 482 whoseentire regions have i-type conductivity are formed.

Next, a resist mask is formed over the oxide semiconductor layers 472and 482 in a photolithography process; source electrode layers 475 a and485 a and drain electrode layers 475 b and 485 b are formed by selectiveetching; and an oxide insulating layer 416 is formed by sputtering.Through the above steps, thin film transistors 470 and 480 can beformed.

Next, in order to reduce variation in electrical characteristics of thethin film transistors, heat treatment (preferably at higher than orequal to 150° C. and lower than 350° C.) may be performed in an inertgas atmosphere or a nitrogen gas atmosphere. For example, the heattreatment is performed at 250° C. for one hour in a nitrogen atmosphere.

Further, heat treatment may be performed at 100 to 200° C. for 1 to 30hours in an air atmosphere. In this embodiment, the heat treatment isperformed at 150° C. for 10 hours. This heat treatment may be performedat a fixed heating temperature. Alternatively, the following change inthe heating temperature may be conducted plural times repeatedly: theheating temperature is increased from room temperature to a temperatureof 100 to 200° C. and then decreased to room temperature. Further, thisheat treatment may be performed under a reduced pressure before theformation of the oxide insulating layer. When the heat treatment isperformed under a reduced pressure, the heating time can be shortened.Through this heat treatment, hydrogen is introduced from the oxidesemiconductor layer to the oxide insulating layer; thus, a normally-offthin film transistor can be obtained. Thus, the reliability of a liquidcrystal display device can be improved.

The protective insulating layer 403 is formed over the oxide insulatinglayer 416. In this embodiment, the protective insulating layer 403 isformed using a silicon nitride film as a protective insulating layer.

A planarization insulating layer for planarization may be provided overthe protective insulating layer 403. In this embodiment, as illustratedin FIG. 9 , the planarization insulating layer 404 is formed over theprotective insulating layer 403 in the thin film transistor 480.

Next, a resist mask is formed in a photolithography process and some ofthe planarization insulating layer 404, the protective insulating layer403, and the oxide insulating layer 416 are removed by selectiveetching, so that an opening which reaches the drain electrode layer 485b is formed.

Next, a light-transmitting conductive film is formed; a resist mask isformed in a photolithography process; unnecessary portions of thelight-transmitting conductive film are removed by etching so that apixel electrode 417 is formed; and the resist mask is removed (see FIG.9 ).

With a combination of the liquid crystal display device including thethin film transistor having the oxide semiconductor layer described inthis embodiment and the structure described in Embodiment 1, powerconsumption can be reduced in displaying a still image.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments asappropriate.

Embodiment 8

In this embodiment, examples of electronic devices each including theliquid crystal display device described in the above embodiment aredescribed.

FIG. 10A shows a portable game machine, which can include a housing9630, a display portion 9631, a speaker 9633, operation keys 9635, aconnection terminal 9636, a recording medium reading portion 9672, andthe like. The portable game machine illustrated in FIG. 10A can have afunction of reading a program or data stored in a recording medium todisplay it on the display portion, a function of sharing informationwith another portable game machine by wireless communication, and thelike. Note that the functions of the portable game machine illustratedin FIG. 10A are not limited to those described above, and the portablegame machine can have a variety of functions.

FIG. 10B illustrates a digital camera, which can include the housing9630, the display portion 9631, the speaker 9633, the operation keys9635, the connection terminal 9636, a shutter button 9676, an imagingreception portion 9677, and the like. The digital camera having atelevision reception function that is illustrated in FIG. 10B can have afunction of photographing a still image and a moving image, a functionof automatically or manually correcting the photographed image, afunction of obtaining a variety of information from an antenna, afunction of displaying the photographed image or the informationobtained from the antenna on the display portion, and the like. Notethat the functions of the digital camera having the television receptionfunction that is illustrated in FIG. 10B are not limited to thosedescribed above, and the digital camera can have a variety of functions.

FIG. 10C illustrates a television receiver, which can include thehousing 9630, the display portion 9631, the speakers 9633, the operationkeys 9635, the connection terminal 9636, and the like. The televisionreceiver illustrated in FIG. 10C can have a function of processing aradio wave for television and converting the radio wave into an imagesignal, a function of processing the image signal and converting theimage signal into a signal which is suitable for display, a function ofconverting a frame frequency of the image signal, and the like. Notethat the functions of the television receiver illustrated in FIG. 10Care not limited to those described above, and the television receivercan have a variety of functions.

FIG. 11A illustrates a computer, which can include the housing 9630, thedisplay portion 9631, the speaker 9633, the operation keys 9635, theconnection terminal 9636, a pointing device 9681, an external connectionport 9680, and the like. The computer illustrated in FIG. 11A can have afunction of displaying various kinds of information (e.g., a stillimage, a moving image, and a text image) on the display portion, afunction of controlling processing by various kinds of software(programs), a communication function such as wireless communication orwired communication, a function of being connected to various computernetworks with the communication function, a function of transmitting orreceiving a variety of data with the communication function, and thelike. Note that the functions of the computer illustrated in FIG. 11Aare not limited to those described above, and the computer can have avariety of functions.

FIG. 11B illustrates a mobile phone, which can include the housing 9630,the display portion 9631, the speaker 9633, the operation keys 9635, amicrophone 9638, the external connection port 9680, and the like. Themobile phone illustrated in FIG. 11B can have a function of displayingvarious kinds of information (e.g., a still image, a moving image, and atext image), a function of displaying a calendar, a date, the time, orthe like on the display portion, a function of operating or editing theinformation displayed on the display portion, a function of controllingprocessing by various kinds of software (programs), and the like. Notethat the functions of the mobile phone illustrated in FIG. 11B are notlimited to those described above, and the mobile phone can have avariety of functions.

FIG. 11C illustrates electronic paper (also referred to as an e-book oran e-book reader), which can include the housing 9630, the displayportion 9631, the operation keys 9635, and the like. The electronicpaper illustrated in FIG. 11C can have a function of displaying variouskinds of information (e.g., a still image, a moving image, and a textimage), a function of displaying a calendar, a date, the time, or thelike on the display portion, a function of operating or editing theinformation displayed on the display portion, a function of controllingprocessing by various kinds of software (programs), and the like. Notethat the functions of the electronic paper illustrated in FIG. 11C arenot limited to those described above, and the electronic paper can havea variety of functions.

In the electronic devices described in this embodiment, powerconsumption can be reduced when a still image is displayed.

This embodiment can be combined with any of the structures described inthe other embodiments as appropriate.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no.2009-272545 filed with Japan Patent Office on Nov. 30, 2009 and JapanesePatent Application serial no. 2009-279003 filed with Japan Patent Officeon Dec. 8, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a pixelportion comprising a plurality of pixels, the pixel comprising: atransistor comprising an oxide semiconductor layer that comprises achannel formation region, wherein the oxide semiconductor layercomprises In, Ga and Zn, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer hascrystallinity, and wherein an off-current of the transistor is less thanor equal to 1×10⁻¹²A when voltage between a drain and a source of thetransistor is 1V or 10V.
 2. The semiconductor device according to claim1, wherein the pixel comprises a display element, and wherein thedisplay element is a liquid crystal display element.
 3. Thesemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel comprises adisplay element, and wherein the display element is anelectroluminescent element.
 4. The semiconductor device according toclaim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is configured to display astill image with a refresh rate less than 60 Hz.
 5. A semiconductordevice comprising: a pixel portion comprising a plurality of pixels; anda transistor outside the pixel portion, wherein the transistor comprisesan oxide semiconductor layer that comprises a channel formation region,wherein the oxide semiconductor layer comprises In, Ga and Zn, whereinthe oxide semiconductor layer has crystallinity, and wherein anoff-current of the transistor is less than or equal to 1×10⁻¹²A whenvoltage between a drain and a source of the transistor is 1V or 10V. 6.The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the pixelcomprises a display element, and wherein the display element is a liquidcrystal display element.
 7. The semiconductor device according to claim5, wherein the pixel comprises a display element, and wherein thedisplay element is an electroluminescent element.
 8. The semiconductordevice according to claim 5, wherein the semiconductor device isconfigured to display a still image with a refresh rate less than 60 Hz.